The EIU Jazz Ensemble has received numerous awards including Outstanding Ensemble and Solo Performance citations at the Notre Dame and Elmhurst College jazz festivals and from DownBeat Magazine. They have been featured at the International Association for Jazz Education and Illinois Music Educators Association conferences and have performed with legendary jazz artists Randy Brecker, Mel Tormé, Dizzy Gillespie, Diane Schuur, and Joe Williams, among others. The Jazz Ensemble's latest CDs, entitled Body and Soul and 61920, may be heard on Spotify and other streaming platforms. The group is directed by Paul Johnston.
The EIU Jazz Lab Band provides an opportunity for more students to gain experience with big band repertoire. Rehearsals emphasize the fundamentals of stylistic interpretation, articulation, and improvisation. The group is directed by Connor Frederick.
Jazz Combos meet twice each week and perform at least two concerts per semester. Groups frequently have additional off-campus performances. Eastern combos have been recognized for outstanding performances at the Elmhurst, Notre Dame, and North Texas Jazz Festivals.
A variety of courses in theory, improvisation, and arranging are available to all EIU students. Auditions for EIU jazz groups are held at the beginning of each fall semester.
The EIU Jazz Studies Program offers a number of events for high school musicians each year. These include Honor Jazz Combo Day in November, the EIU Jazz Festival in February, and Eastern Music Camp in July.
We welcome high school students interested in attending EIU to visit. We would be happy to set up a day for you to sit in on classes and ensemble rehearsals, meet current students, and have a sample lesson. Contact Paul Johnston to schedule a visit.
There will be an informational meeting about the jazz program on Monday, August 24, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. in DFAC 1360. You are encouraged to attend to review the audition materials and ask questions.
To audition for a jazz group, students should:
Audition requirements are listed below. You will also be asked to sightread a brief excerpt. If you are interested in playing in a combo, you should also prepare a jazz standard that showcases your ability to improvise.
Saxophone: linked excerpt for Saxophones; chromatic scale, throughout your comfortable range; and improvised solo choruses on a jazz standard (optional for ensembles, required for combo)
Trumpet: linked excerpt for Trumpet; a D major scale, beginning above middle C and going as high as you are comfortable; improvised solo choruses on a jazz standard (optional for ensembles, required for combo)
Trombone: linked excerpt for Trombone; a two-octave chromatic scale, beginning on the F at the bottom of the bass clef; improvised solo choruses on a jazz standard (optional for ensembles, required for combo)
Guitar: linked excerpt for Guitar; a two-octave chromatic scale, beginning on middle C; improvised solo choruses on a jazz standard (optional for ensembles, required for combo)
Piano: linked excerpt for Piano; a three-octave chromatic scale; improvised solo choruses on a jazz standard (optional for ensembles, required for combo)
Bass: linked excerpt for Bass; a two octave, walking, chromatic scale, beginning on low E; improvised solo choruses on a jazz standard (optional for ensembles, required for combo)
Drums: linked excerpt for Drums; 16 bars of medium swing at quarter=132; 16 bars of fast swing at quarter = 212; 16 bars of a bossa nova; 16 bars of a samba; 16 bars of a jazz waltz; 16 bars of a funk groove
Doudna Fine Arts Center
600 Lincoln Ave.
Charleston, IL 61920
217-581-3010
music@eiu.edu
