All prospective and transfer students must apply for admission to NYU Steinhardt in addition to submitting their audition video. All applicants to the Jazz Studies program are considered for a variety of talent-based awards without further application. Apply for undergraduate study.
Submit Your Prescreening Audition Video
The Jazz Studies Program at NYU Steinhardt requires a prescreening video audition for all undergraduate applicants, including incoming freshmen and transfer applicants.
Please review the following deadlines for Early Decision I, Early Decision II, and Regular Decision applicants. You must submit your audition video online by the dates listed. Materials submitted after these dates may not be accepted. Please remember to attach the information sheet to your email with your YouTube video submission. See below for more information about your audition video.
Early Decision I and Early Decision II applicants who are accepted into the program will be exempt from live auditions. Regular Decision applicants will be notified by late January 2025 whether they have been selected for a live audition. Live auditions will take place March 3 - March 6, 2025, with similar repertoire requirements as the prescreening audition.
Prescreening Video Deadlines
All audition videos must arrive by the following dates:
- Early Decision I (undergraduates only): NOVEMBER 1, 2024
- Early Decision II & Regular Decision (undergraduates only): JANUARY 1, 2025
- All Graduate students for fall admission (along with the online application): JANUARY 5, 2025
Note for Transfer Students
Though NYU's deadline for Spring transfer admission is November 1 and our deadline for Summer/Fall transfer admission is April 1, we suggest that you submit your Common Application one month in advance. Submitting your Common Application early will leave you more time to schedule an audition by our deadlines above.
Instructions
Videos must be recorded with either a live rhythm section or a pre-recorded background track (Aebersold, iRealbook, etc.). All repertoire must be performed from memory, and applicants must state their full name, instrument, and whether they are applying for an undergraduate or graduate program at the beginning of the video. See below for instructions to upload and submit your video.
Prescreening Repertoire for Bachelor of Music (BM)
- 12-bar blues: (“Billie’s Bounce” by Charlie Parker, etc.)
- 175 bpm or faster
- Saxophone/Trumpet/Trombone/Violin: play the head and four choruses of improvisation
- Guitar/Piano/Vibraphone: play the head, two choruses of accompaniment behind a soloist, and two choruses of improvisation
- Bass/Drum Set: accompany the melody and two choruses behind an improvising soloist, and play a two-chorus solo
- Standard Ballad (“Misty,” “In A Sentimental Mood,” “Body & Soul,” etc.)
- Saxophone/Trumpet/Trombone/Violin: play the melody and one chorus of improvisation
- Guitar/Piano/Vibraphone: play the melody and one chorus of improvisation
- Bass: accompany the melody in an appropriate ballad feel, improvise for one chorus
- Drum Set: demonstrate playing with brushes behind the melody and one chorus of improvisation
- Straight 8th/Latin (“Ceora,” “Blue Bossa,” “Desafinado,” “Recordame,” etc.)
- Saxophone/Trumpet/Trombone/Violin: play the melody and two choruses of improvisation
- Guitar/Piano/Bass/Vibraphone: play the melody, one chorus of accompaniment behind a soloist, and two choruses of improvisation
- Bass/Drum Set: accompany the melody and one chorus behind an improvising soloist, and improvise a two-chorus solo
- Jazz Standard (“There Is No Greater Love,” “Four,” “There Will Never Be Another You,” “Have You Met Miss Jones,” “Take the ‘A’ Train,” etc.)
- Saxophone/Trumpet/Trombone/Violin: play the melody and two choruses of improvisation
- Guitar/Piano/Vibraphone/Bass: play the melody, one chorus of accompaniment behind a soloist, and two choruses of improvisation
- Bass/Drum Set: accompany the melody and one chorus behind an improvising soloist, and improvise a two-chorus solo
- Perform one or two choruses (minimum 32 bars) of a solo transcription from your instrument. This does not need to be memorized.
YouTube Video Submission Instructions
Please title the video following this structure: NYU Jazz Audition: Your last name, instrument, degree level.
Example: NYU Jazz Audition: Smith, trumpet, UNDERGRADUATE.
Set up your video on YouTube as an unlisted video, and test the video link before submitting. You can log out of YouTube and send the link to a family member or a second email address to test.
Please attach your completed information sheet to your email with your YouTube unlisted video link and send it to Dr. Ethan Helm at jazzstudies@nyu.edu. Please write only your last name, instrument, and degree level in the subject line. For example: SMITH, trumpet, UNDERGRADUATE.