Mountaineer Honor Jazz Ensembles

March 26 – 27, 2025

The WVU Mountaineer Jazz Festival is a two-day experience for high school jazz students. Participants will be selected based on a recorded audition and music teacher recommendation. The Honor Jazz Ensembles will rehearse and perform together under the direction of Dr. Alton Merrell (Assistant Professor of Piano) and Dr. Robert Sears (Assistant Professor of Trumpet), and participate in masterclasses with guest artist Tito Carrillo and WVU faculty Alton Merrell, Robert Sears, Jeff Siegfried, Hakeem Bilal, Paul Thompson, and Brian Wolfe. The festival will also include performances by guest artist Tito Carrillo with the WVU Jazz Faculty and WVU Jazz Ensemble 1. Additionally, the festival will also feature performances by WVU jazz combos and the WVU Funk and Soul Ensemble. The festival will culminate in a performance by the Honor Jazz Ensembles.

2025 jazz festival flyer that shows guest artist Tito Carrillo playing a gold trumpet and wearing a grey hat. Text on the flyer describes there are two concerts. The first on March 26th and the second on March 27th. Both concerts start at 7:30 pm at WVU.

2025 Guest Artist | Tito Carrillo

We're excited to announce the guest artist this year will be Associate Professor of Jazz Trumpet at Texas State University, Tito Carrillo. Learn more about renowned jazz trumpeter Tito Carrillo's extensive career here. Also check Tito out on his popular YouTube channel JAZZMIND. See clips of him playing and teaching below.

Honor Ensembles

Honor jazz ensembles will include an all-star big band and two jazz combos. Chairs are filled on a first come first serve basis so don't delay.

Audition/Application Information

The audition deadline is Saturday, March 1st. All high school students are encouraged and welcome to participate. Please record yourself playing the following and add a link to the video recording in the application form linked below.

Apply, Register, and Audition Music

Saxophone

Prepare m. 111 to the end of Ichiban Blues by Vern Sielert. You may choose either alto, tenor, or bari saxophone parts.
Optional but encouraged: Choose one to two jazz standards, play the melody and then improvise 2-3 choruses over the form of the tune.

Trumpet/Trombone - Play a chromatic scale from lowest to highest comfortable notes.

Prepare m. 111 to the end of Ichiban Blues by Vern Sielert. Trumpet players my choose either trumpet 1 or 3. Trombonists may choose either trombone 1, 3, or bass trombone.
Optional but encouraged: Choose one to two jazz standards, play the melody and then improvise 2-3 choruses over the form of the tune.

Piano/Guitar/Vibes

Prepare m. 137 to the end of Ichiban Blues by Vern Sielert.
Choose one to two jazz standards. Play the melody (1 chorus), comp (1 chorus) and then improvise 2-3 choruses over the form of the tune.

Bass

Prepare the beginning to m. 79 of Ichiban Blues by Vern Sielert.
Choose one to two jazz standards. Play the melody (1 chorus), walk a bass line (1 chorus) and then improvise 1-2 choruses over the form of the tune.

Drums

Prepare the beginning to m. 79 of Ichiban Blues by Vern Sielert.
Play the melody to a tune of your choice on the drum set and improvise 2-3 choruses over the form of the tune.
Be able to alternate four bar phrases of time and filling in the following styles:

Swing
Bossa Nova
Samba

Optional: Show your ability to play a 12/8 Afro Cuban, Funk, and/or Cha Cha grooves.

Cost

There is no cost to submit an audition. Students selected to participate in an Honor Jazz Ensemble will be required to pay $25 as a participation fee. Students will be notified via email how payment can be processed. The event is open to all high school students from around the country. Lodging and travel are the responsibility of the student. Some need-based financial assistance may be available. See below for more info.

Festival Schedule 2025

Wednesday, March 26, 2024

9:30 am Students Arrive at WVU Meet

10:00 am - 12:30 pm Honor Ensembles Rehearsals Coached by WVU Faculty

12:30 - 2 pm Lunch Break

2:00 - 3:00 pm Masterclasses

Saxophone – Jeff Siegried
Trumpet – Guest Artist Tito Carrillo
Trombone – Hakeem Bilal
Piano – Alton Merrell
Bass - Paul Thompson
Drums – Brian Wolfe

3:00 - 4:50 pm Honor Ensembles Rehearsals Coached by WVU Faculty

5:00 pm - 7:00pm Dinner Break

7:30 pm Concert featuring WVU Jazz Combos, WVU Funk and Soul Ensemble, and WVU Jazz Faculty with Guest Artist Tito Carrillo

Thursday, March 27, 2024

9:00 am - 11:00 am Honor Ensembles Rehearsals Coached by WVU Faculty

11:00 am - 12:30 pm Improvisation Clinic with Tito Carrillo

12:30 pm - 2:00 pm Lunch Break

2:00 pm - 3:30 pm Honor Ensembles Rehearsals Coached by WVU Faculty

3:30 pm - 4:00 pm Honors Ensembles Sound Check on Clay Stage

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Tour of WVU

5:00 pm - 7:00p m Dinner Break

7:30 pm Concert featuring WVU Jazz Ensemble 2, WVU Jazz Ensemble 1 with guest artist Tito Carrillo, and Honor Ensembles

WVU School of Music | Learn More

Are you a senior interested in music school? Please visit our webpage and sign up for an audition! We have generous scholarships available for undergraduate students pursuing Bachelor of Music Degrees in Performance who desire to study with a jazz emphasis. Additionally, we have students who study jazz while earning degrees in Music Business and Industry, Music Composition, Music Therapy, Music Education, Bachelor of Arts in Music, and Bachelor of Science in Music and Health. We also have a brand-new Commercial Music Degree that will be available starting in the 2025 Fall Semester.

Questions | Financial Aid Assistance

For general questions about the jazz festival, inquiries about scholarship and potential need-based assistance please contact Dr. Alton Merrell at alton.merrell@mail.wvu.edu. Additionally, please fill out the following financial aid assistance application for financial aid consideration.