Even Better Bands

Im a Sophmore in High School and i play trombone and i want to go to Texas Southern University.But i Dont know How

It takes lots and lots of practice. You should have a private band teacher as well as the high school band instructer. you should have both of them in your pocket too, so that you get wonderful glowing recommendations from them. Make sure you keep the audition requirements from below beside you as you practice practice practice. Aim your private lessons on getting in and making a perfect audition…

University Band (UB)

Live auditions will be held in the Department of Fine Arts by appointment and at the selected schools with the permission of the principal and band director. Taped auditions will be accepted at any time. Those persons who are interested in being considered for financial assistance through the Department of Fine Arts should audition as soon as possible. The following are audition requirements for band instruments:

Wind instruments (trumpet, clarinet, etc.), guitar, piano, bass, melodic percussion and timpani, please prepare solo literature you feel will best exhibit your technique and musicianship. Also be prepared to play all major scales at MM=80 and sight read.
For percussion auditions, you must know the following:
I. Rudiments

Snare drum/quads/quints:
PAS 40 International Drum Rudiments
http://www.pas.org/Resources/rudiments.cfm.

Bass Drum and Tenor Drum:
The N.A.R.D. 26 American Drum Rudiments

1st 13 & 2nd 13 rudiments:

http://www.vboda.org/AllVa/Auditions/PercRudiment/26Rudiments/26 Drum Rudiments.htm

Cymbals:
The 1st 13 rudiments from the NARD list

II. Prepared (written) solo on snare drum

III. Sightreading

If you play mallet percussion, timpani, etc.; it would be to your benefit to prepare a piece on those instruments as well.
Percussion auditions can be live or video taped. If you do choose to send a tape, be sure to adequately and thoroughly demonstrate your skills as we will not have an opportunity to hear you sightread or ask you any questions.

General considerations for all auditionees:

The earlier you audition, the better your chances are for being awarded financial assistance through the band. Please be aware that any financial aid recipient at Texas Southern University must have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA; http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/) in addition to all general application and financial aid applications required by the university (all of this can be found at http://em.tsu.edu)

Please also be aware that as part of the scholarship allocation process, we do periodic checks to see who has actually begun the application process to the university.

University Jazz Combo (UJ01)
Auditions Requirements – TBA – Dr. Howard Harris, (713) 313-7316
A limited number of Jazz band grants will be awarded on the basis of a) departmental need b) the ability of the student and c) the availability of funds.

Big Band Auditions
Enroll in Jazz Band (UJ02)

Melodic Instruments – (wind, piano, Vocalist, Guitar and Bass) Play (sing) the the melodic line of any jazz work which best shows yours interpretation.
Sight Read – Jazz Literature
Rhythm Section – Play "Time" in three of the following four idioms: Swing, Latin, Funk (Fusion or Rock) and Jazz waltz Drummers play solo work in the following continuous format:
8 bars time 8 bars solo
4 bars time 4 bars solo
2 bars time 2 bars solo
Drummers may choose the style (swing, funk, etc.) that they wish to play for solo work. For additional information, please contact:

Dr. Howard Harris
Dept. of Fine Arts
Texas Southern University
3100 Cleburne Street
Houston, TX, 77004
Phone: (713) 313-7316

Private Instruction
Private instruction is available for all instruments for one or two semester hours of credit. Instruction is offered for levels of ability from beginning through advanced. For information contact the Department of Fine Arts.