Jazz Ensemble
The Saint Marys High School Jazz Ensemble is open to SMHS students in good academic standing by audition only. The Jazz ensemble play a variety of Jazz styles including Swing, Bebop, Latin, Fussion, Funk, Blues, Ballads, etc. The Jazz ensemble rehearses at 7:15am on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Audition information and signups will be posted on this page and will be held towards the end of marching season.
If there is a 2 hour delay or a school closing there will not be any Jazz Ensemble Practice. Jazz Ensemble practice will resume on the next regularly scheduled Jazz day.
Jazz Ensemble meets at 7;15am every Tuesday and Thursday. Please do not sign up for auditions unless you can commit to faithful attendance. You can click here for more information. J.E. Attendance and Grading Policy
Members are required to audition for admittance into the Jazz Ensemble. The audition process will be made up of 3 parts.
1) Unprepared sight reading to be selected by director.
2) Two prepared pieces of contrasting styles. Determining factors of audition will include: Tone Quality, Articulation (accents, staccato, legato, slurs), Pitch Accuracy, Rhythmic Accuracy, Dynamics, and Stylistic Interpretation (Swung eighth notes for blues and swing, Straight eighths for rock/latin/ballads)
3) Chromatic Scale (memorized) from as low to as high as you can play and back down.
An audition time signup sheet will be posted on Mr. Norton's office door.
You can download the Prepared pieces below, as well as a Fingering chart for your chromatic scale.
Audition Material Downloads