So I’m in choir right now at my high school, and on Wednesday we had a combined choir/band concert with performers from the local elementary and middle schools as well. The high school jazz band performed last, and they sounded really good. I didn’t know, though, that there was a piano (pretty ignorant of me). And since I’ve been playing piano for nine years, I was wondering if I should audition.
But I have some problems. Here’s a list of pros and cons:
Pros:
I get to be in Jazz Band!
I get to do what I love (play piano)
Awesome teacher
Many of my friends are in Jazz Band
I love performing
I’ve been playing piano for quite a while, so I have experience
Auditions are easy (that’s what people say)
Cons:
I don’t know if I’m good enough (I play classical piano, not jazz piano)
There are two other piano players in Jazz Band (I don’t know how experienced they are; I guess they’re pretty good, but I don’t think we need three pianists; plus, if possible, I’d like to be first piano but the other pianists may play really well… sorry for dragging on and on, I’m just stressed)
Have to wake up earlier because it’s 0 period (not a big issue for me, though, I can wake up early if need be)
Taking Jazz Band would lower my GPA because I would be taking 8 classes instead of 7 (not a big issue)
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Jazz band is a lot of fun. Talk to the jazz band director to see if you should sign up. It is funny that you say you have never played in a jazz band before but you want to be first piano – there are auditions or evaluations for that but maybe you will be the best. Go for it!
Sorry, but I don’t think you should audition if there are already 2 pianos. You can talk to the director about if someone is graduating, etc. However, if you want to do jazz piano, you should really get some experience before joining the school jazz band.
Typically, the piano parts are not written out as they are in classical music, although the easier high school music can be. Piano is considered part of the rhythm section in a jazz band and supplies the harmonies. You’ll need to learn how to read chord symbols, learn how to comp, and also learn how to improvise, which is especially difficult if you don’t have a guitar or other rhythm instruments who can cover the chords so you don’t have to left-hand comp while improvising.
Im not saying this to totally discourage you, since jazz piano is really fun, but its nothing like classical piano, so you really don’t have any experience. You will have to all the skills above, which is difficult. The only thing that really transfers over from classical piano is knowing where the keys are on the piano and how to articulate and play dynamics on the piano (so your basic technique).
You also will not be first piano, since you have no experience. Typically, though, there is no such thing as a “first” piano in a jazz band. The rhythm section rotates and decides who plays on what pieces. When I was in high school, I chose all the easy pieces since I didn’t know how to read chord symbols at all when I started jazz (in 5th grade). I actually didn’t start learning chord symbols until my junior year of high school (really not to my senior year, i kinda cheated and wrote them out my junior year), when I auditioned for and made the high school curricular jazz band.
Jazz piano is very different from classical, like guineagirl96 mentioned. However, it wouldn’t hurt to mess around with it and then audition! Jazz band is an amazing experience, and colleges (if you’re worried about that) will love to see that you’re passionate about music! Good luck on your audition if you decide to go for it 