Jazz Ensembles
Jazz Combo
Jazz combo is the core performing ensemble for jazz performance majors at SIUE. Each semester, the program typically maintains six undergraduate combos and one graduate combo. While these groups are composed primarily of jazz performance majors, any student may audition for placement.
Auditions take place on the first Monday of the fall and spring semesters at 3:00 p.m. in Dunham Hall, Room 1114. Students are grouped into ad hoc ensembles and perform for the jazz faculty and fellow auditionees. At minimum, participants should be prepared to perform and improvise over a blues and a standard (e.g., “Autumn Leaves,” “Take the A Train,” or “Blue Bossa”). Results are posted the same day on the bulletin board outside Room 1113.
Most undergraduate combos rehearse Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:00–4:50 p.m. There is an additional group that meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30–5:20 p.m.
Graduate combos arrange rehearsal times based on instructor and group availability.
Concert Jazz Band
- Director: Garrett Schmidt
- Meeting Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:30-5:20 p.m.
- Room: Dunham Hall 1114
The Concert Jazz Band is the premier large jazz ensemble at SIUE. Open by audition, it provides opportunities for advanced performers, both music majors and non-majors, to rehearse and present professional-level repertoire drawn from the rich tradition of big band jazz.
The ensemble focuses on historically significant works as well as contemporary compositions, allowing students to engage deeply with the evolution of jazz styles and arranging practices. Emphasis is placed on ensemble precision, stylistic interpretation, and individual expression through improvisation.
The Concert Jazz Band performs regularly on campus and at prominent venues in the St. Louis area, including Jazz at the Bistro. Through these performances, students gain valuable real-world experience while developing the skills required to succeed in professional jazz and commercial music settings.
Jazz Lab Band
- Director: Garrett Schmidt
- Meeting Time: Tuesdays, 12:30-1:20 p.m.
- Room: Dunham Hall 1114
The Jazz Lab Band serves as the training ensemble within the SIUE jazz program. Unlike the Concert Jazz Band, which requires an audition and performs regularly on and off campus, the Lab Band is open to all students without an audition. It provides a low-pressure environment for developing essential jazz ensemble skills.
This group is ideal for music education majors seeking experience with jazz literature and rehearsal techniques, as well as for less experienced players looking to build confidence in a big band setting. It also includes experienced players who use the ensemble to strengthen their sight-reading skills and maintain large ensemble performance experience.
The Lab Band functions as a workshop for student arrangers and conductors and offers space for beginning improvisers to experiment with soloing in a supportive context. While the Concert Jazz Band focuses on the performance of professional-level repertoire by significant jazz composers, the Lab Band emphasizes foundational ensemble skills, stylistic awareness, and flexibility. Together, both ensembles form a comprehensive pathway for growth in jazz performance and pedagogy at SIUE.
Jazz Guitar Ensemble
- Director: Rick Haydon
- Meeting Time: Mon/Wed 1-2:50 p.m.
- Room: Dunham Hall 1114
The Jazz Guitar Ensemble meets twice weekly and focuses on the unique role of the guitar in a jazz setting. Students work on sight reading, chordal and linear improvisation, ensemble interaction, and technical studies specific to jazz guitar.
The ensemble also explores the stylistic approaches of influential jazz guitarists, providing historical context and helping students gain a foothold in the jazz guitar tradition. Repertoire includes classic and modern works arranged specifically for guitar ensemble, offering a collaborative setting to refine both individual and group performance skills.
