GRADUATE JAZZ GUITAR AUDITION REQUIREMENTS

1. Sight reading is required for all jazz guitar auditions at WCU. Students should be prepared to sight read melodic material in traditional music notation (not tablature) and an understanding of key signatures will be required. It is expected, that the prospective student will read in all positions on the guitar neck, such as open position, 2^nd, 5^th, 7^th, 10^th, and 12^th positions. Prospective students will also be asked to sight read a chord chart consisting of major and minor chords as well as Maj7, Min7, Min7 b5, Diminished 7^th,, and Dominant 7^th chords, and altered Dominant 7^th chords.

2. The performance of major, natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scales is required for jazz guitar auditions. Please be prepared to perform 2 octave major and minor scales using at lease 2 different scale fingerings (the shifting of one scale fingering to a new position does not fulfill this requirement).
3. Perform chords as a guitar accompaniment to a song of your choice. It is suggested that the student select a standard or jazz composition for the audition (i.e., a tune such as Autumn Leaves, All The Things You Are, Blue Bossa, etc.)
4. Perform the melody of a song of your choice. Once again, a standard or jazz composition is suggested for this portion of the audition.
5. Improvise a melody over the chord changes of a song of you choice. A standard or jazz composition would be appropriate and you may feel free to bring a backing track such as a Jamie Aebersold or other play-along CD.
6. Perform a prepared guitar solo piece of your choice. The prepared piece should be a chord/melody arrangement of a standard or jazz tune. Ideally, this should be an arrangement that demonstrates the ability to perform bass, chords, and melody in the context of a complete, unaccompanied solo guitar performance. It is also suggested the that the performance include an improvised component in the arrangement.