High School Jazz Band

Video Audition Details

Once the auditions cuts and scales have been published on the ECKMEA website, students will record the selected material. Wind players will record TWO videos: one with the selected required piece excerpts; one with the major scale and chromatic scale. Percussionists will record a separate video for each percussion medium: snare, mallets, timpani.

Recording Considerations

• Directors are encouraged to record the student auditions, but this is not required.
• Directors and students are responsible for the sound quality control of the video.
• PLEASE REVIEW ALL VIDEOS FOR QUALITY AND COMPLETION BEFORE SUBMISSION.
• All recordings must be made continuously—no editing of any kind is allowed.
• Videos will be uploaded to YouTube (set to unlisted with embedding allowed). PLEASE DOUBLE CHECK THE ACCURACY OF YOUR VIDEO LINKS BEFORE SUBMISSION. It is highly recommended you check these videos on several different browsers as well.
• It is encouraged to do a sound check where you record the loudest section of your selections.
• The cuts for each instrument will be determined by the lead judge in each room. These cuts must be provided to the Honor Band Chair by October 26, 2020.

Procedure

• Students need to be recorded from the waist up. Brass players should not point their bells directly at the microphone.
• Video #1 will be the major scale, followed by the chromatic scale. This must be recorded continuously on one video. An appropriate pause between scales is acceptable and recommended.
• Video #2 will be the required excerpts. The student may briefly pause between selections to find tempo, empty water, or turn pages. This must be one continuous recording.
• Percussionists: please see next section for further details
• THERE IS TO BE NO TALKING ON THE RECORDING.
• Once videos have been recorded, they need to be uploaded to YouTube as an unlisted video with embedding allowed. The links to the videos will be the submission for the audition.
• You will submit the video links to the KMEA Members site. (Instructions at the end of this document)
• PLEASE CHECK VIDEOS TO MAKE SURE THE CORRECT VIDEO IS SUBMITTED TO THE CORRECT STUDENT. Directors are responsible for submission accuracy. If your students are making the recordings, please review them for accuracy and completion.
• Wednesday, November 4th: Video Submission Deadline. Late entries will not be accepted. Video URLs must be submitted by Nov. 4, 2020 at 11:59:59 PM.

Percussion Considerations

• Each percussion instrument is a separate audition for the 20/21 school year. Students will record one video per audition.
• Please follow these considerations when making percussion audition videos:
  • Snare Drum - perform Etude 6 and 11 on one recording with a brief pause between etudes.
  • Mallets - perform etude on one recording
  • Timpani - please follow this procedure:
    • Tune timpani for Etude II (off camera). It is acceptable to tune pitches on any drums not used on Etude II.
    • Start recording, perform Etude II
    • While still recording, student will tune timpani for Etude III, must be completed in under 30 seconds
    • Perform Etude III, end recording

Jazz audition Considerations

• All video requirements for the concert band auditions must also be adhered to in the jazz auditions with the following modifications.
  • Video #1 will be the chromatic scale. It should be recorded in one take.
  • Video #2 will be the audition excerpts ("Unit 7" and "Work Song"). These should be recorded in one take with a brief pause to start and stop the backing tracks. "Work Song" should include improvisation after playing the melody.
  • Video #3 will be the optional lead trumpet or bass trombone audition for those that wish to complete those auditions.
• For drumset players:
  • Video #1 will be "Basie Straight Ahead" and "I'll Never Smile Again"
  • Video #2 will be "Rio Rhythm" and "Fall Leaves"
  • Video #3 will be "Voyage Home"
• Please pay special attention to the volume level of the backing track so that both the auditioner and recording can be heard. Backing tracks for each instrument can be found on the member page of the ECKMEA website.

Disqualification Criteria

• Students will be immediately disqualified for the following:
  • Any video editing (door monitors will be viewing videos while judges listen)
  • Talking on the video by anyone
  • Broken links, video privacy settings that render the video unwatchable
    • If there is a technical error on our end we will do whatever is in our power to resolve. If there is an emergency number on file with the student (provided at audition registration) we will make every effort to contact the student to resolve technical issues.
  • Videos received AFTER the submission deadline of Nov. 4 will not be eligible for adjudication.
• Directors can edit video URLs until the deadline. The video URL in the system at the moment of the deadline is what will be played for the judges.

KMEA Members Site Video Audition Submission Instructions
ECKMEA Band - Jazz Video Entry

Follow these steps for adding video URLs to each audition:

1. Each audition entry record must be created in the usual manner in the KMEA Members site in the EC District section.
2. To add videos to existing entry records, click on the Review Entries / Update Videos button
3. To update a specific audition, click on the Update Videos button in that entry
4. There are three video URL entry input fields. Make sure the proper video addresses are entered in each box (Video 1, Video 2, Video 3) based on the directions given in the ECKMEA website. URLs must be entered following the example shown below. The segment in bold is the 11 - character video identifier.
   Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abcdefghijk
5. Click on the Update button to save changes.
6. Click on Return to Review Entries when finished. The Review Entries screen should have a small thumbnail displayed for each saved video URL.