Not really. The bar is ridiculously high, at least here in Europe. You actually have to play like a semi-professional to make it into music school.

HiFreq-Therapy That’s what I thought - but the comments here suggested to me that some people thought memorizing was a big deal. I’m interested in any more information you have although I’m far too old to consider auditioning 😀

@@crazybunkum Hi, I can give you some insight into auditioning for the university teaching program here in Germany. I am preparing to audition in June next year for (Jazz) guitar as major and singing as minor. Actually the professors let you play your audition pieces to them in advance, if you seek them out. I, for example, am preparing Misty by Eroll Garner, but with modern jazz, bebop-influenced improv. Actually, being able to play over changes in bebop-fashion is the requirement of most serious jazz conservatory in Europe. As second tune I have to prepare a non-jazz related song, for which I choose the Tommy-Emmanuel Version of Classical Gas (Don't confuse with the original, this one is guitaristically and musically advanced.) For Singing you have to sing one song accompanied by yourself, one acapella and perform a poem. You take a theory test, as well (which is actually the easiest part). A bit harder is the aural test, where you have to identify triads, inversions, intervals, scales and functional harmony in context of a reference tone (usually the 1 of the corresponding scale). Last but not least you have to transcribe simple melodies (with reference tone of course) and complex rhythms by ear. Even if you pass all test, the available places are distributed statistically amongst the best of each instrument. I hope this wasn't too in-depth, but my fingers hurt, so I have to give them a rest.^^

Most schools also require you to play the piano quite confidently.

HiFreq-Therapy Thanks for all that - really appreciated. Good luck with your auditions next year. What’s the jazz music scene like in Germany? Just discovered Dave Baker’s books on Bebop on Scribd which are good to get you started, me anyway.

This is only a start point to learn jazz...

I never heard anyone talk about perfection. He talked about dedication to music as evidenced by having taken the time to commit to memory a tune of intermediate complexity. If you are 17 or 18 and intend to study music seriously, this should be easy. If it is difficult at all one should probably examine why it is so difficult. Perhaps you are not feeling the music. Perhaps you are not committed to work diligently. A school like Oberlin is filled with students from all over the world with one thing in common: they are each fascinated enough by music to work hard at it on a lifelong basis. These students generally feel genuinely at home among others so similarly inclined. Someone who can not relate to that level of interest in music would, frankly feel out of place there. Some have an ego-driven fantasy about attending MIT. However, while curious about math and science, I’m not sufficiently talented to figure out calculus or physics on my own. Equations do not run through my head all day. If someone else figures something out in this realm, fantastic! It won’t be me. I would have been miserable and felt inadequate in a realm where everyone was obsessed with math and science. Music is a different story. Music theory, melodies, harmonies and rhythms run through my head all day. I greatly cherish my time in the Oberlin Jazz Ensemble. Why waste the time and money trying to study something that does not fascinate you?

Well it has to be said that pop music was a very different thing back then. In Bird's times, it was more about composition, now it's more about the sounds and textures, more about the production than the musicianship involved. Which is not necessarily a bad thing you know, but it can be annoying from a musician's perspective. It's very difficult to use the same approach the early great had to today's pop music.

I agree. If Thelonious Monk never existed up until now, he wouldn't get accepted into a conservatory most likely

I mean it just got posted lol.

It was uploaded very recently. Give it time and it'll gain steam

Oops guess its still early, my bad

Thanks for the tips Gary Bartz.

I knew a jazz guitarist who was about 26 when he started his undergrad degree in music ed / jazz studies at the University of Michigan, which has a well respected jazz program. So as far I am concerned, I don’t think age plays a role in your chances of getting in but I don’t know for sure

I would assume not because from what I can tell, most auditions are blind auditions where the person conducting the audition has their back turned to the student. So I would assume age plays no part

@@maxadams9368 that's great to know, thanks a lot :)

@@maxadams9368 Never heard of a blind college audition. They generally ask you questions and want to see how you play to see if you are teachable. These are not professional auditions, which actually rarely exist in jazz unless it's a military band. Orchestra auditions, sure, many are blind.

yaptın mı?

What’s up Nick. This is you... right?

Yessir, what’s up Railey!

I see you!!!

Au Privave by the great Charlie Parker

I want to apply there or in Graz, Austria, do you have to do an audition? And what about the language?

3340steve Wonderful response! Many thanks.

Ling Ling It’s Au Privave by Charlie Parker

@@theludicrouslime Who is Charlie Parker?

Zvonimir Tosic One of the most influential and skilled musicians of not only the bebop era but the 20th century who redefined jazz and laid the foundation for jazz to come. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest saxophonists of all time and his legacy cannot be understated.

@@theludicrouslime Thank you. But I was only joking. :)

Zvonimir Tosic ayo tho who’s john coltrane and this “ giant steps thing whatever that is shoo jk jk

Yes

That’s the bare minimum. You still need to be decent at playing changes and just cuz you can play a tune doesn’t mean ur too good for school. Playing the tune means nothing, it’s about how you sound on it, and you can always sound wayyyyy better. No 18 year old is “too good” to learn from the master, Gary Bartz.

you will never reach a point where you are “too good” for a school

Umm, you're absolutely wrong.. he is subtoning his playing to smooth it out. Please don't make dumb remarks..

Issac Camarena he’s playing a 5

@@joshobyrne8611 Sorry, but how do you know?

Issac Camarena Mr Bartz used to be my teacher, I know for a legitimate fact he uses size five reeds

@@joshobyrne8611 But would you say that he plays them well?

At a certain point, the music should be ingrained into you from memory. But agreed. Using sheet music literally isn’t an indication of talent/seriousness generally speaking.

@@tromboneman4517 There also are ways to use sheet music without looking at it ALL THE TIME. Let’s try to find those instead of forming a clique that no one is allowed to play jazz if they use sheet music. Otherwise he can have his horn shoved up his ass for all I care.