Thurs. Jan. 15-Sat. Jan. 17, 2026 - USM (The University of Southern Maine in Portland0. Concert will be Sat. Jan. 17 at USM.
Auditions will be in-person this year, and students will work with Mr. Dustin to prepare for auditions.
YHS Sign-up Deadline for auditions: Wednesday Sept. 10
Auditions are Friday Oct. 17 at U Maine, Augusta (UMA)
Jazz All-State Auditions Official Website - see pages 12-15. Look for "Rotation #2" and your voice part (soprano, alto, tenor, bass)
1. Sing the required part of the 5-part arrangement of "Autumn Leaves". (sopranos sing the 2nd soprano part) with the "part missing" track.
2. Scat for the length of "Autumn Leaves"
3. Sing the ballad along with the accompaniment track. (For Fall of 2025 it will be “My Romance") Sopranos and Tenors will sing the high voice version, Basses and Altos will sing the low voice version.
**There is no sight reading at vocal auditions.
Sing your part all the way through. After you sing your part, you may choose to improvise (scat sing) for the full length of the song. This is NOT REQUIRED, and it is NOT SCORED. I would like you to consider including this as part of your video audition.
Drive folder with learning tracks for each voice part.
Lead Sheet showing the melody and chord changes
Soprano
Sheet Music:"Autumn Leaves"
Tracks: Demo Track - Backing Track
Alto
Sheet Music: :"Autumn Leaves"
Tracks: Demo Track - Backing Track
Tenor
Sheet Music: :"Autumn Leaves"
Tracks: Demo Track - Backing Track
Bass
Sheet Music: "Autumn Leaves"
Tracks: Demo Track - Backing Track
Professional Performance - Frank Sinatra and Dinah Shore
Professional Performance- Ella Fitzgerald
Soprano/Tenor
Sheet Music Ballad: “My Romance” by Cole Porter
Backing Track - you sing with this when you audition
Alto/Bass
Sheet Music: Ballad: “My Romance” by Cole Porter
Backing Track - you sing with this when you audition
Aritsts to listen to: Shirley Horn, Carmen McRae, Diane Reeves, Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan scat "Lullaby of Birdland"
Sarah Vaughan scat #2. "Swingin' Easy"
Exploring Jazz Vocals and Scat Singing
Possible Scat Syllables to use
Artists to listen to: Ella Fitzgerald, Betty Carter, Darmon Meader, Chet Baker
Soprano/Tenor
Sheet music for Choral Etude -"Take the A Train"
Demo Track to hear how it all fits together and the scat singing
Individual Practice Track to learn the notes: soprano 2 tenor
Soprano Backing Track- you sing with this when you audition
Tenor Backing Track- you sing with this when you audition
Alto/bass
Sheet Music for Choral Etude - "Take the A Train"
Demo Track to hear how it all fits together and the scat singing
Individual Practice Track to learn the notes: alto bass
Alto Backing Track- you sing with this when you audition
Bass Backing Track- you sing with this when you audition
Professional Performance - Frank Sinatra
Professional Performance- Ella Fitzgerald
Soprano/Tenor
Sheet Music Ballad: “I Love You” by Cole Porter
Backing Track - you sing with this when you audition
Alto/Bass
Sheet Music: Ballad: “I Love You” by Cole Porter
Backing Track - you sing with this when you audition
Aritsts to listen to: Shirley Horn, Carmen McRae, Diane Reeves, Sarah Vaughan
First Take - Jeremy's Group
Jazz Piano for Complete Beginners
Plus YouTube!!
2021 MMEA Jazz All-State Choir "Just the Two of Us"
The Nearness of You Demonstration Recording. Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong
The Nearness of You Demonstration Recording. Frank Sinatra
Sarah Vaughan scat "Lullaby of Birdland"
Sarah Vaughan scat #2. "Swingin' Easy"
Exploring Jazz Vocals and Scat Singing
Possible Scat Syllables to use
Artists to listen to: Ella Fitzgerald, Betty Carter, Darmon Meader, Chet Baker