High School Jazz Academy

September 2025–May 2026

The High School Jazz Academy (HSJA) offers instrumental jazz instruction to high school students in the tri-state area (NY, NJ, CT). Students have the opportunity to enhance their musical education with the finest professional training and performance opportunities. The program runs weekly in the Irene Diamond Education Center at Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center. During weekly sessions students learn repertoire and performance techniques from a faculty comprised of accomplished jazz musicians as well as members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

HSJA meets weekly from September through May. HSJA ensembles perform regularly throughout the year in the Ertegun Atrium at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Dizzy’s Club and other venues throughout New York City.

HSJA students and their families may receive complimentary tickets to attend performances and educational events at Jazz at Lincoln Center to supplement this unique jazz immersion experience. 

Feel free to reach out to [email protected] with any questions.

Catch all the High School Jazz Academy ensembles opening for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Big Band Holidays concerts for FREE in the Atrium.

TBD

High School Jazz Academy is now accepting applications for the 2025-2026 season. Please fill out this application by April 15, 2025. We will notify you on May 1, 2025 if you have been accepted for a callback audition. Callbacks are scheduled for May 18, 2025. Applications received after April 15th will be considered on a rolling basis.

To be considered for Jazz Academy, you will need to appear at the callback. Unfortunately, we cannot make any exceptions, as the judges will need to hear you in person. 

Audition Requirements
Everyone must make a video in one complete take. Do not incorporate any cuts or editing of any kind in your tape, including reverb, pitch correction, or speeding up/slowing down the video. Videos for horns, bass, and piano, must not exceed 4 minutes in length. Videos for drummers must not exceed 5 minutes in length.

Brass and Reeds
1) Play the chromatic scale from your lowest comfortable note up to your highest comfortable note and back down.
2) Play one of the following bebop heads: Now’s the Time, Chi Chi, and Donna Lee. Pick the one that you feel best demonstrates your abilities.
3) Play two improvised choruses on a 12 bar blues in concert Bb or F.  You may play unaccompanied, or with a backing track or live accompaniment, if desired.
4) Optional: Demonstrate lead playing (for brass) or doubling (for woodwinds). 

Piano & Guitar
1) Play 3 Major Scales, of your choice, throughout 2 octaves. 
2) Play one of the following bebop heads: Now’s the Time, Chi Chi, and Donna Lee. Pick the one that you feel best demonstrates your abilities.
3) On a 12 bar blues in concert Bb or F, play two choruses of just comping, then two choruses of improvised soloing. You may play unaccompanied, or with a backing track or live accompaniment, if desired.

Bass
1) Play 3 Major Scales, of your choice, throughout 2 octaves. 
2) Play the melody of one of the following bebop heads: Now’s the Time, Chi Chi, and Donna Lee. Pick the one that you feel best demonstrates your abilities.
3) On a 12 bar blues in concert Bb or F, play two choruses of just walking, then two choruses of improvised soloing. You may play unaccompanied, or with a backing track or live accompaniment, if desired.

Drums 
1) Play 16 bars of time; sticks, 4/4 swing, at the following tempos: quarter note=60, quarter note=140, quarter note=220
2) Play 16 bars of time; brushes, 4/4 ballad feel, with brushes: quarter note=60
3) Play the following over a 12 bar form in medium 4/4 swing (q=140-180): 1 chorus of time, 1 chorus of soloing, 2 choruses of trading 4s (time/solo/time/solo/time/solo), 1 chorus of time.
4) Briefly demonstrate any straight 8th Afro-Caribbean and/or Brazilian feels you may know.

Voice
1) Sing either “Honeysuckle Rose” or “There Will Never Be Another You” with live accompaniment or a backing track

Students are placed in ensembles and classes appropriate to their level. All High School Jazz Academy weekly Sunday activities take place between 12pm and 7pm. All HSJA students take Jazz Language and at least one ensemble; an average HSJA student will be at Jazz at Lincoln Center for 3–4 hours.