KMEA All-State Jazz Band
2025-26 Audition Excerpts
Participation Eligibility Requirements
There are three requirements for a student to be eligible to audition for KMEA All-State Jazz Band membership:
- The student must first be a performing member of their District's 2025-26 KMEA Band, Jazz Ensemble, or Orchestra.
- The student's director must be a member of KMEA, will register each audition online, and send the Audition Invoice with appropriate payment to the KMEA All-State Payment Manager. These must be completed by the deadline established by KMEA.
- The student must be deemed an eligible freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior in good standing in their high school.
Scales and excerpts for the upcoming year's auditions will be posted on the KMEA website by May 1.
During May, June, and July, KMEA All-State personnel will review and research any suggested corrections submitted regarding the posted scales and excerpts.
On August 15, KMEA will re-post the All-State audition materials, incorporating all confirmed corrections.
The August 15 posting will serve as the official and final version of the audition music, and students are expected to prepare exactly what is posted—regardless of any additional corrections suggested by private teachers or other sources after this date.
All etudes and the scale are played without the metronome sounding. The metronome only establishes the tempo at the beginning of the etude or scale, then is turned off.
Horns (Alto Sax, Tenor Sax, Bari Sax, Trumpet, Trombone)
- Full Range Chromatic Scale: Quarter Note = 120 BPM. In quarter notes play the full range chromatic scale. Slur ascending and tongue descending. Play the full and practical range for your instrument. A metronome will be sounded (8 clicks) to establish the tempo. Playing the correct tempo is part of your score.
- Etude #1 & Etude #2 - Play the entire etude. A metronome will be sounded (8 clicks) to establish the tempo. Playing the correct tempo is part of your score.
- Etude #3 - Play the entire etude then improvise to the chord changes. This etude and improvised section will use a backing track. 8 clicks will sound to establish the tempo.
- Sight Reading - Players will be given 30 seconds to look over an excerpt in the big band style. Then they will play the short excerpt.
Optional Lead Trumpet - Perform the optional lead trumpet excerpt at the end of Etude #2.
Optional Bass Trombone - Perform the optional bass trombone excerpt at the end of Etude #2.
Rhythm (Piano, Guitar, Bass)
- Etude #1 & Etude #2 - Play the entire etude. A metronome will be sounded (8 clicks) to establish the tempo. Playing the correct tempo is part of your score.
- Etude #3 - Play the entire etude then improvise to the chord changes. This etude and improvised section will use a backing track. 8 clicks will sound to establish the tempo.
- Sight Reading - Players will be given 30 seconds to look over an excerpt in the big band style. Then they will play the short excerpt.
Drums
- Etude #1 thru Etude #4 - Play the entire etude. A metronome will be sounded (8 clicks) to establish the tempo. Playing the correct tempo is part of your score.
- Sight Reading - Players will be given 30 seconds to look over an excerpt for the drum set in a big band style. Then they will play the short excerpt.