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With our world-class faculty, award-winning student ensembles, and state-of-the-art facilities, you’ll find everything you need here at Lamont to prepare you for a career in jazz. Our faculty is made up of dedicated artist-teachers who will help you develop a strong jazz vocabulary and entrepreneurial spirit while you learn the basics of performing, writing and arranging.

As a jazz major you’ll participate in at least two ensembles every quarter, including the Lamont Jazz Orchestra and Small Groups. Lamont limits enrollment to 300 students, so you’ll enjoy small class sizes with plenty of personal attention. You’ll also learn from the amazing guest artists we bring in for master classes and performances; recent guests have included Pat Metheny, Maria Schneider and Branford Marsalis.

  • Live Audition

    Applicants will preference their top two (2) audition dates for a live audition in Denver on the Lamont application. All auditions are approximately 20 minutes in length. The applicant will choose one of the prepared works to perform. The faculty will choose the second of the prepared works and possibly an additional work as well.

  • Applicants Unable to Travel to Denver

    While Lamont faculty prefer to have applicants audition on campus, those unable to travel to Denver for a live audition may submit an unedited video audition in lieu of the on-campus audition. Recordings received after January 15 will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This video should be uploaded through the Lamont application.

Audition Requirements

Jazz Performance

Audition requirements are the same for all instruments as well as voice. Prepare three pieces of your own choosing that you feel best exemplify your talent. Choose contrasting pieces from the standard modern jazz canon of tunes. You will be required to perform the "head" or main melody and then to improvise. We're looking for loads of jazz vocabulary as well as a stellar swinging time feel.

You will perform your pieces with three members of our faculty rhythm section (Eric Gunnison, Ken Walker and Mike Marlier). These guys know every tune in the world, but bring a lead sheet in concert pitch just in case. Just tell them the title and the key and show us your best work!

Jazz Composition and Arranging

You're required to audition in the same manner that is listed to the left (instrumental or voice) but we would also like the following from you:

1. Musical scores of at least two contrasting works. These should be uploaded through the online application and also sent to Dave Hanson at David.Hanson@du.edu.

2. Corresponding recordings of the submitted scores, and any additional works you'd like to share. You may either submit the audio files or link to them on YouTube, Soundcloud, Google Drive, etc.

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