The Jazz SA Superbands are a program of three youth big bands open to South Australian musicians aged 21 years and younger. Each term the Superbands rehearse intensively and perform a full set of music under the supervision of Adelaide’s leading big band directors. The Superbands perform a mixture of classic and contemporary big band repertoire, alongside compositions by local and national composers. The Superbands also work under a different director for each term. Rehearsals are held University of Adelaide (Kintore Avenue) for eight Tuesday nights each term leading up to termly concerts. Auditions are held in Term 4 to select musicians for the following year’s program.

Auditions for the 2021 Superbands will be held by video only. You will be required to video yourself performing your audition requirements for submission

FAQ The age limit required you to be 21 years old on the first of January.

The following positions are available in each of the three Superbands:
• Alto Saxophones 1 & 2, Tenor Saxophones 1 & 2, Baritone Saxophone
• Please note that while woodwind doubles are encouraged, positions will be decided by the applicants’ demonstrated proficiency on saxophone.
• Trumpets 1 - 4
• Tenor Trombones 1 - 3, Bass Trombone
• Piano, Guitar, Bass (Electric or Double), Drums

Applicants will be placed into the Superbands based on their time feel/rhythm, tone quality, range, pitch and understanding of style. Applicants may submit entries for multiple positions/instruments.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek out the original recordings of the excerpts, and to take the excerpts to their teachers.

Audition Requirements

Audition material is available at

https://www.jazzsa.org.au/audition

SAXOPHONE, TRUMPET, TENOR TROMBONE and BASS TROMBONE Applicants are required to submit the following:
• The supplied instrument specific excerpts with an audible metronome.
• The supplied instrument specific excerpts without a metronome. Applicants applicants are encouraged to submit the following, however, it is optional:
• 2 - 4 improvised choruses on a 12 bar Bb jazz blues with a play-along backing track (ie, Aebersold, iRealB). Please do not perform unaccompanied.

LEAD TRUMPET: there is another excerpt that must be submitted in addition to the other excerpts. All lead trumpet applicants will still be considered for other section chairs.

GUITAR, PIANO and BASS
Applicants are required to submit the following:
• The supplied instrument specific excerpts with an audible metronome.
• The supplied instrument specific excerpts without a metronome.
• 2 - 4 improvised choruses on a 12 bar Bb jazz blues with a play-along backing track (ie,
Aebersold, iRealB). Please do not perform unaccompanied.

DRUMS
Applicants are required to submit the following:
• The supplied instrument specific excerpts with an audible metronome.
• The supplied instrument specific excerpts without a metronome.
• Recordings of the following grooves, without a metronome.
• 16 bars of swing time (crotchet = 120)
• 16 bars of swing time (crotchet = 280)
• 8 bars of ballad time with brushes (crotchet = 55)
• 16 bars of swing time with brushes (crotchet = 200)
• 16 bars bossa nova

Recording Guidelines/Tips
• Please ensure that you are clearly visible for the entire duration of each video.
• Audition videos must be recorded with one microphone, and the audio must not be edited in any way.
• ‘Soundcheck’ your recording device before recording the excerpts in full. To avoid audio distortion do
not to place your recording device too close to your instrument. Three to four meters distance for most
instruments generally works well.
• Listen back to your recordings in full before submitting your application.
Submitting Your Application
• Please upload the video files to Dropbox, Google Drive or a similarly shareable online folder.
• Clearly label each file in the following format: firstname_lastname_instrument_excerptname
• ie, after recording ‘All of Me’, trumpeter Fred Bloggs would upload the file
Fred_Bloggs_trumpet_AllofMe
• And after recording her Bb blues, bass trombonist Jane Smith would upload the file
Jane_Smith_basstrombone_BbBlues
• Make sure that the folder containing the files is accessible to anyone with the link.
• Do not delete the folder before January 1st, 2020.
• Once the upload has completed, email the link to superbands@jazzsa.org.au.
• If you know your link now, you can note it in the enrolment form. Otherwise, just email the link to us and we will fill it in.
• The excerpts will be made available from October 25th, and audition videos must be submitted no
later than November 29th.

2021 Superband Auditions - online!