• Students auditioning must be in 6^th – 8^th grade.
• The ensemble director of students auditioning must be a current LMEA member.
  
• Students auditioning must be enrolled in a Louisiana-accredited school and must be an active member of that school’s instrumental ensemble program.
  
• In a situation where there is no instrumental program in the school, the student must be enrolled in a Louisiana-accredited school and certified by the eligible music teacher at that school or a private teacher who is an LMEA member. Click for a list of Nonpublic Accredited Approved Schools 2024-25.
  
• Students must audition in their school’s LMEA district.
• Students are eligible for membership in only one All-State ensemble.
• District directors will verify that teachers of all students participating in these auditions are current members of LMEA.

AUDITION DATE AND LOCATION. The date, time, and location will be set by the district to allow enough time to have all audition recordings and registration information uploaded by the state deadline (11:59 pm).

AUDITION FEE:

• $15 per audition
• Ensemble directors should follow their District Director’s instructions and deadline for submitting school checks.
  Note: Audition fees must be received before an audition will be recorded.
  
• Each District Director will submit a single district check (made out to LMEA) to the Audition Chair for all jazz audition entries from their district.
• District Directors must confirm with the Jazz Division Chair that they have received all audition fees by the deadline before submitting audition recordings. An audition cannot be adjudicated if the audition fee has not been received.
• The current year’s deadline for submitting all audition recordings, quota sheets, and fees is Monday, November 10, 2025 (11:59 pm).

MULTIPLE INSTRUMENTS.  Students may audition on more than one instrument, but must submit the audition fee and a separate registration for each instrument. 

• Student Release of Information Form – this will need to be printed, signed, and must be turned in to your district. Follow your district’s instructions for submitting this form. Auditions cannot be adjudicated without this form.
• Registration – the information for all students auditioning must be submitted by the District Director or the District’s designee to the state Jazz Chair by November 10, 2025 (11:59 pm). Students and their directors must follow their district’s instructions and deadlines for submitting this information.
• The link to a Google form will be sent to the District Director by the Division Chair. District Directors will communicate to their district regarding how they want to receive student information. This information includes: Name, School, Grade, Instrument, All-State Ensemble Preference, T-Shirt Size, Audio Audition File, Verification of receipt of the “Student Release of Information Form.”
• Students auditioning for more than one ensemble must indicate their preference of ensembles when their audition registration information is submitted. This information will be used should he/she be selected to participate in more than one of this year’s LMEA All-State ensembles.
• Students selected to the All-State Middle School Jazz Ensemble are not eligible for membership in any other All-State ensemble due to conflicts in the registration, rehearsal, and/or performance schedules of the other ensembles.

The audition includes scales, prepared material, and sight-reading. All audition materials, including rehearsal and audition tracks, have been written/recorded for LMEA and are available for download from this site.

Scales – Selected major scales will be required for the audition. A copy of the scale sheet for each instrument can be downloaded from the LMEA website’s All-State Middle School Jazz Ensemble page (found in the current year’s “set” materials).

          Alto Sax 
          Tenor Sax 
          Baritone Sax
          Trumpet
          Trombone
          Guitar
          String Bass
          Piano

Prepared Material – There is a 3-year rotation cycle of prepared materials that have been written for the LMEA Middle School All-State Jazz Ensemble auditions. All audition materials, including rehearsal tracks, can be found on the LMEA website. They have been written/recorded for LMEA and are available for download from this site. 

3-year Rotation of Scales, Prepared Materials, and Practice Tracks:

Guitar Reference Sheet

Set I – 2024-25
    Etude 1 (Swing) – Music and Practice Tracks
    Etude 2 (Straight Eighths) – Music and Practice Tracks
Set II – 2025-26
    Etude 1 (Swing) – Music and Practice Tracks
    Etude 2 (Straight Eighths) – Music and Practice Tracks
Set III – 2026-27
    Etude 1 (Swing) – Music and Practice Tracks
    Etude 2 (Straight Eighths) – Music and Practice Tracks

Sight-Reading – Students will sight-read a short selection as part of their All-State Middle School Jazz Ensemble audition.

MONITORS and AUDITION:

• All LMEA Middle School All-State Jazz Ensemble auditions will be audio recorded (.mp3 file).
• Each District Director will assign one or more monitors to record the audition and certify that each auditioner played the material without any restarts.
• Monitors should be carefully selected by the district director to ensure procedural continuity of the audition. It is recommended that monitors are band directors within each district.
• An audio test of the recorder and room should be done before any auditions begin to ensure a proper balance between student and the accompaniment track. Be sure the student will be clearly heard.
• The monitor will read the following script to announce and identify each auditioner: 
  “On (Insert Instrument), this is Audition Number (Insert Audition Number).”
• Be sure that the instrument and audition number announced on the recording are accurately entered on the track sheet.
• Monitors should verify that the recording is on the recorder before the auditioner leaves the room (if possible). (This can be done by playing a few seconds of the recording and checking the length of the file on the recorder.)
• Audition restarts will only be allowed if there is a technical issue with the recorder.
• Each recorded audition must be unedited and made in one single file – do not dub any portion of the audition. Violations of this may cause the audition to not be considered for the LMEA Middle School All-State Jazz Ensemble.
  

TRACK SHEET

• A track sheet will be shared via Google Sheets to enter the audition information at the “room” level. This includes: Room Number, Recorder Number, File Name, File Duration, Last Name, First Name, Instrument/Voice, Audition Number.
• The Room Number, Recorder Number, File Name and Audition Number are to be determined by the District Director or his/her designee.
• There should be one track sheet for each room used at the audition.

RECORDING EQUIPMENT

• The recommended recorder is a typical “voice recorder” like those used for adjudicators at large ensemble assessment. District Directors have received information about these recorders.

OFFICIAL AUDITION RECORDING PLAY-ALONG TRACK:
These tracks must be used when recording the audition.

      Set I – 2024-25
     
      Set II – 2025-26
     
      Set III – 2026-27

AUDITION INSTRUCTIONS and ORDER:

All students auditioning are REQUIRED to play along with this year’s LMEA All-State Jazz Official Audition Play-Along Track for their instrument. Be sure you have the correct recording for the current year.

1. Start the LMEA Middle School All-State Jazz Audition Play-Along Recording Track and the recorder.
   
2. Identification Information:  The monitor will read the student identification script (see above).
3. Scales:  The student will then be prompted to play the scales on the current set’s scale sheet (in the printed order). There will be no more than 3 minutes of silence for playing the required scales. Scales with an * should be swung. (If there is extra time, a student may replay a scale, but we highly recommend having them memorized and correct the first time you play it, but if a key/valve sticks or there is another issue please feel free to replay a scale.)
4. Prepared Selections:  The student will be prompted to play the prepared selections. They will be played in this order: Swing, Straight Eighth. The background tracks for all four prepared selections are on the Audition Play-Along Track.
5. Sight Reading:  The student will then be prompted to play the sight reading excerpt. There are 30-seconds allotted for the student to look over the sight reading, after which they will play the excerpt one time from beginning to end.
   

AUDITION FILE SUBMISSION PROCEDURE:

• Each district director (or designee) will be responsible for submitting the auditioner’s information and uploading audio files (.mp3 files only) into the Google form provided by the audition coordinator by Monday, November 10, 2025 (11:59 pm).
• Links will be sent to the District Director by the Division Chair.
• Google Drive is one of the easiest and most accessible platforms to use for file sharing. However, some school districts restrict the sharing of files from their school Google drives. Files must be accessible to the chairperson to be judged for inclusion in the group. Discussions with your school district’s IT department may be necessary to ensure usage in the All-State audition.

 TIP FOR STUDENTS:

• We HIGHLY recommend that ALL students auditioning for the LMEA Middle School All-State Jazz Ensemble practice the audition with the LMEA Middle School All-State Jazz Audition Track to get comfortable with the timing and play-along recordings for each prepared selection.

SCORING THE AUDITION – All instruments except drums

• 5 Scales – 1 point each
• 2 Etudes – 20 points each
• Sight-Reading – 5 points

SCORING THE AUDITION – Drums

• 2 Etudes – 20 points each
• Sight-Reading – 5 points

TIE BREAKERS: 

• The sight-reading score shall be used to break ties in the overall score and ranking. For example, when two students have the same final score, the one with the higher sight-reading score shall be ranked first.
• If the score remains tied, the scale score (solo score for drums) shall be used to break the tie.
• If the tie remains, it shall be broken with the toss of a coin.

A student interested in performing as vocalist with the All-State Middle School Jazz Ensemble must submit a recording of a performance singing with a jazz big band, jazz rhythm section, or backing track to the district’s District Director or Jazz Chair by the audition date. This will be submitted to the LMEA Jazz Division Chair with the district’s other audition recordings for adjudication.

Any student vocalists auditioning must meet all eligibility requirements. They must also submit the audition fee, audition registration form, and student information release form to their district’s District Director or Jazz Chair (as designated by the district) by the district’s due date. Links to the student information release form can be found above under “FORMS REQUIRED FOR AUDITION.” Follow your district’s instructions for the registration form.

Each student is to provide his/her own equipment for auditions. The only exception is the piano. However, check with your district director or jazz chair as available equipment may vary by district.

• The official results will be posted on the LMEA website on  Monday, November 24, 2025 (11:59 pm) for students who were selected to the All-State Middle School Jazz Ensemble (and listed jazz as their first choice).
• Music for the All-State Middle School Jazz Ensemble will be distributed to the selected musicians by their LMEA District Director, their LMEA District’s Jazz Chair, or directly through their band director.
• Students selected to the All-State Middle School Jazz Ensemble will need to register for the All-State event.