CLICK HERE FOR AUDITION INFORMATION AND FORMS FOR REGIONAL/ALL-STATE JAZZ BAND.   For more info about the Region & State Jazz organization, you can go to www.njaje.org.

OVERVIEW:

• Region Jazz Band is offered at the Middle School (also known as “intermediate”) Level (Grades 7-9) and the High School Level (Grades 9-12.)   These groups are for strong jazz band members who are near the top of their sections and tend to put in a fair amount of time practicing.  The available instruments to audition on include Saxophone, Trombone, Trumpet, Piano, Bass, Drums and Guitar.  These are “all-star” groups and are not for students who are brand new on their instruments.  If you qualify for the HS region jazz band, you will then be eligible to audition for all-state.   There is no all-state jazz band at the MS level.

AUDITION/APPLICATION DEADLINES:

• Auditions:  Monday, March 13 after school at Ridgewood High School
• Application Deadline:  Info will be posted in Google Classroom - Online application submission followed by paperwork/payment handed to Mr. Verderese by 3:15pm.  NO LATE APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

PAPERWORK SUBMISSION:

• Online Application will be available on the NJAJE website by CLICKING HERE.  Please fill out the form online and print out your signature page.
• Signature pages must be completed with student and parents signatures and date.  Mr. Verderese or Mrs. Ofshinsky will get the principal’s signature once all applications are received.  Do not send information directly to NJSMA or call them.  Please direct all questions to us and If we are unaware of the answer, we will find out for you.
• Payment: Payments should be made via credit card upon registering online.

AUDITION MATERIALS:  All audition material information available by CLICKING HERE

• Scales – are listed on the website.  Remember that scales are not concert key scales.  For example, if you play clarinet, and they ask you for an F scale, it starts on the F for clarinet.
• Solo Piece – required pieces are posted on the website.  You can print your own copy.
• Sightreading – will be presented to you in the audition rooms
• Improvisation (HS ONLY) - You will improvise 2 choruses of the blues using the Jamey Aebersold Bb or F Blues Track from Volume 1, How To Learn Jazz and Improvise.  These tracks are available on our website under "Playalong Recordings"

SCHEDULE:

• Please take a look at the rehearsal schedule before you sign up to audition.  You MUST be able to attend all required rehearsals and the concert in order to participate.  Do not audition if you are not able to actually participate in the group.  If you audition and make the group, you are required to participate.  Failure to participate after qualifying will result in a 1 year ban from auditioning for region and all state groups.  This rule is set by NJSMA, not Cresskill.

PREPARATION: 

• Please realize that you should be practicing multiple times a week, if not every day in preparation for Region auditions.  This is not something that you should be waiting until the last minute to prepare for.
• All auditioning students may be required to partake in a pre-screening audition in front of Mr. Verderese to confirm that you are prepared properly for the audition.  At this point, Mr. Verderese will make a final determination as to whether or not the school will approve or deny your request to audition.

QUESTIONS?

• If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mr. Verderese.

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ALL STATE JAZZ ENSEMBLE INFORMATION:

If you successfully audition for High School Region Jazz Band, you are eligible to audition for All-State Jazz Band.  Please CLICK HERE for All-State Jazz audition information.  This info will be updated after Region auditions are completed.