Using the links shown below—or by navigating with the drop-down menu—you can find materials designed to assist music students and educators in a variety of ways. Many of these resources have been produced in conjunction with Music Serving the Word’s education area.

 

• FOR AUDITION MATERIALS FOR VJC ENSEMBLES, CLICK HERE. Each downloadable PDF file contains materials suitable for either combo or big band auditions. Audition packets are available for alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax, trumpet, trombone, bass trombone, guitar, piano, bass, and drums. 

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Also, please note there are alternative options to these PDF files available to students auditioning for VJC big bands/large ensembles in November/December each year: Anyone trying out for AZ All-State Jazz Ensembles may substitute those audition materials (provided by ABODA) for the VJC audition packet. Please just let us know in advance if you want to use those materials (usually a packet of four etudes by jazz composer Mike Tomaro) instead of the usual VJC packet. Thanks!

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Also, for less experienced student musicians (perhaps 8th or 9th graders, or maybe older HS students who are still new to jazz), you are welcome to bring representative music from your junior high school or high school music program—ideally, things you are currently working on in your school ensembles—and perform that as your audition. We would rather you audition on something you want to share with us than not audition because you do not feel comfortable tackling either the VJC packet or the ABODA/AZ All-State Jazz packet.​

 

• FOR PLAY-ALONGS CREATED TO ASSIST VJC APPLICANTS WITH COMBO PROGRAM AUDITIONS, CLICK HERE. Various versions of backing tracks for Framer of Thy Song and VJC Blues are found there.

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• FOR VJC STUDENT PARTICIPANT FORMS (including the consent/waiver form and the instrument sign-out form), CLICK HERE.

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• FOR FREE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES DESIGNED TO HELP BOTH JAZZ EDUCATORS AND THEIR STUDENTS, CLICK HERE. Current materials available include:

 

• a resource explaining chord symbol nomenclature (which concludes with a chord symbol glossary),

• a hand-out designed to help guitarists, pianists, and others learn more about harmonic equivalence (an understanding of which will allow compers to learn additional chord voicings with much greater ease),

• a pair of resources for developing jazz pianists, providing common “drop 2” voicings in major and minor keys, and

• a hand-out for guitarists, pianists, bassists, drummers, and band directors which explains fundamental rhythm section performance concepts.