Jury Requirements for Jazz

Juries for undergraduate Jazz Studies Majors occur twice a year, at the end of each semester during Michigan State University’s finals week. All juries consist of tunes (songs), technical studies and transcriptions.

  • The professors will choose two songs from a list of ten songs selected from the required song list as it pertains to her/his year of study.
  • The applied studies professor will choose an etude or technical study for his/her student.
  • Every student in the Jazz Studies Program will be required to perform a transcription as assigned by the major professor.
  • All materials must be memorized

Barrier Jury Requirements

All Jazz Majors are required to perform a 20-minute barrier jury in the fourth semester. This jury will display technique and improvisational skills over the first 2 years. Students who do not successfully pass this jury will not pass to 300 level lessons and be placed on probation and may not be able to continue in applied studies. The barrier jury consists of the following:

Students should be prepared to perform from the first two years of study

  • all songs from the Jazz Area Repertoire list
  • all etudes or technical studies as assigned by the major professor
  • all transcriptions as assigned by the major professor
  • all materials must be memorized

Freshman Year

First Semester - MUS 230

•Blue Monk

•So What / Impressions

•Tune-up

•Doxy

•Blue Bossa

•I Got Rhythm

•Summertime

•In A Sentimental Mood

•Caravan

•Take The “A” Train

Second Semester - MUS 231

•Sandu

•Oleo

•Mr. PC

•Autumn Leaves

•The Nearness Of You

•Alone Together

•A Night In Tunisia

•All The Things You Are

•In A Mellow Tone

•Lady Be Good / Hackensack

Sophomore Year

First Semester - MUS 301

•Raise Four

•Rhythm-A-Ning

•How High The Moon/Ornithology

•Just Friends

•All God’s Children Got Rhythm/Visitation

•Body & Soul

•Sweet Georgia Brown/Dig

•Softly As In A Morning Sunrise

•Someday My Prince Will Come

•Giant Steps

Second Semester - MUS 302

•Billie’s Bounce

•Anthropology

•What Is This Thing Called Love?/Hot House

•Blues For Alice

•Confirmation

•My Funny Valentine

•Ladybird/Half-Nelson

•Indiana/Donna Lee

•There Will Never Be Another You

•Cherokee

Junior Year

First Semester - MUS 303

•Birdlike

•Eternal Triangle

•Just You, Just Me / Evidence

•Giant Steps

•Stella By Starlight

•‘Round Midnight

•Emily

•Invitation

•Love For Sale

•Joy Spring

Second Semester - MUS 304

•Isotope

•Crazeology

•Nardis

•Yes Or No

•Stablemates

•Epistrophy

•Stardust

•Just One Of Those Things

•One Finger Snap

•Serenity

Senior Year

First Semester - Exit Jury

•Blues On The Corner

•Inner Urge

•Along Came Betty

•The Way You Look Tonight (minimum 350bpm)

•Dear John

•Four In One

•Fe-fi-fo-fum

•Milestones (old)

•Lush Life

•Moment’s Notice