CURRENT STUDENTS: The first rehearsals for our three groups HAVE BEEN DELAYED BY ONE WEEK to 12/12, 12/14, and 12/16, respectively. We are adding two more audition days on Tuesday, 12/5 and Saturday, 12/9 to give us an opportunity to fill some open slots in our ensembles. So for any young music students (grades 8-12) who are still interested in joining the VJC, GO AHEAD AND APPLY!
Here are our CURRENT OPENINGS:
Indigo (Tuesdays) – ONE TRUMPET, TWO TROMBONES
Cerulean (Thursdays) – ONE TRUMPET, ONE TROMBONE
Sapphire (Saturdays) – TWO TRUMPETS, THREE TROMBONES, GUITAR, DRUMS
Let's work together to see how we can involve you in the VJC! Learn more about our program by clicking HERE.
EDUCATORS: Check out our new Flexible Instrumentation Big Band charts, released by VJC Publications. You can listen to most of these publications HERE on the VJC YouTube channel. We've added 10 additional "flex." big band charts this fall and hope you will consider buying this great new music!
VJC Publications offers flex. charts that don't compromise. As such, these are exceptional investments for your ensemble library: Great charts to have during your program's most robust years...and absolute lifesavers during those occasional lean years, too. Please give them a look and a listen!
AUDITION SCHEDULING
VJC combo program auditions are held each year in late August to early September. VJC big band auditions are held each year in late November to early December, after marching band season concludes. While students are welcome to apply to the VJC at any time---as to participate in activities such as "The Hang"---those two windows are the only open audition periods each year.
If circumstances require additional, targeted auditions (i.e., for performers on a particular instrument), announcements for such special auditions will be found on this page.
Any student interested in joining a VJC ensemble during a regularly-scheduled audition cycle should complete an online application form. Within a day or two of completing the application, the student will receive an email, requesting information on student availability for scheduled audition dates. Please note that hearing a student play in-person on a scheduled audition date is always the preferred option for evaluation. For every student able to audition this way, an individual time slot will be scheduled and assigned. The student will then receive a follow-up email, notifying them of their scheduled audition time.
Student auditions take approximately 10 minutes to complete. Students do not need to remain available for the duration of any scheduled audition date, but are instead free to leave after the completion of their audition.
While it is preferable to hear each student play on an audition date at the intended sites (GCC and MCC), other options are possible. For instance, the VJC Director can work with area band directors to hold individual auditions (for a larger number of students) at a local high school or junior high school. Under special circumstances---such as when a student already known to the VJC Director has conflicts with all audition dates/possibilities---a FaceTime audition may suffice.
If you have conflicts with all posted audition dates, please contact VJC Director Russell Schmidt to see if any alternative options are available to you.
PLEASE NOTE:
VJC AUDITIONS
ARE SCHEDULED IN
AUG/SEP - COMBOS
NOV/DEC - BIG BANDS
Audition
Materials HERE
Auditions are available
in-person or via FaceTime
AUDITION LOCATIONS
GLENDALE
Auditions to be held at
Glendale Community College
Music Building (MU-2)
6000 W. Olive Ave.
Glendale, AZ 85302
WVJC at GCC
Visit the Valley Jazz home page for specific audition dates and times.
MESA
Auditions to be held at
Mesa Community College
Performing Arts Center
1520 S. Longmore
Mesa, AZ 85202
EVJC at MCC
Visit the Valley Jazz home page for specific audition dates and times.