Bands
Tiger Band
Director: Mark Spede | Class: MUSC 3610 | Audition required
Tiger Band is nationally known for its dynamic sound, precision marching, entertaining shows and famous Clemson spirit. More than 350 members perform before almost one million football fans each year. In recent years, the band has performed at the Orange, Citrus, Hall-of-Fame, Peach, Gator bowls and the 2016 National Championship game in Phoenix, Arizona. The Color Guard, Tiger Twirlers, and Tiger Dancers are integral parts of Tiger Band.
As an ambassador for Clemson University, Tiger Band provides inspiring spirit and entertainment to the university community and beyond. Tiger Band is committed to outstanding, creative performance on and off the playing field through the dedication of its staff and members. It also provides its students the opportunity to develop life skills through training in teamwork and leadership.
Everyone who participates in Tiger Band and makes Symphonic Band or Jazz Ensemble automatically receives a $500 per semester scholarship. Highly qualified performers may audition for larger amounts. See the Tiger Band scholarship section.
Please visit the Tiger Band website for more information and to download audition music. If you have any questions, please call 864-656-3380 or e-mail tigerbandoffice@gmail.com.
Symphonic Band
Director: Mark Spede | Class: MUSC 3620 | Audition required
The Clemson University Symphonic Band is a select wind ensemble that performs contemporary and traditional concert band literature. Frequent campus concert and tour appearances have earned high national praise for this band. Previous tours have included performances at the 2012 London Olympics, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Charleston, S.C., New Orleans' Jackson Square and Walt Disney World.
As the premier wind and percussion performing ensemble at Clemson University, the Symphonic Band seeks to educate its performers and audience through the performance of music literature of the highest quality.
Fall 2023 Symphonic Band Auditions
Video Submission Due Friday, September 1 at 12 p.m.
Please prepare 2 short excerpts demonstrating your lyrical and technical abilities. These can be from any music of your choosing such as an etude book, All-State Audition piece, concerto, solo, etc. 2-4 minutes of total music is plenty. Percussionists, please contact Dr. Paul Buyer, Professor of Percussion, about auditions at pbuyer@clemson.edu.
Your video must:
1. Be filmed in one continuous take (including time between selections).
2. Be completely unedited.
3. Have an uninhibited view of your embouchure and your hands on the keys/valves for the entire video.
Upload your video using the link: https://forms.gle/rSSbjNfWDGEXGwZ4A.
Jazz Ensemble
Director: Timothy Hurlburt | Class: MUSC 3630 | Audition required
Clemson University's Jazz Ensemble, also known as "The Jungaleers," is a Big Band with standard instrumentation. The ensemble performs music of many different genres and has a personality and flair all its own. If you love to have fun playing music, consider joining us!
Spring 2023 Jazz Ensemble Auditions
Wind players (saxes, trumpets, and trombones) will submit their auditions via online video submission: Please prepare these 3 tunes from the Real Book.
You will perform Four On Six, Epistrophy, and Blues for Alice WITH THE BACKGROUND TRACK also found in the same linked Google Drive Folder. For ALL 3 tunes, the first time through, please play the head (the notated part melody on the music provided with all notated repeats). The second time through, play an improvised solo through at least 1 chorus on all 3 songs. You need to play and solo on all three song.
If you're not an experienced improviser, don't worry! The improvisation section will not count against your audition score, it's like extra credit. Give it a try, you might surprise yourself! All links to music and recordings can be found here: AUDITION MATERIALS
Simply film your video (cell phone video is acceptable) and upload it to a file sharing service (youtube, Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.), then submit the link on the appropriate linked form below.
Your videos must:
- Be filmed in one continuous take (including time between selections).
- Be completely unedited.
- Have an uninhibited view of your embouchure and your hands on the keys/valves for the entire video.
- Include playing through the head and soloing on all 3 tunes. Make sure that the background track CAN be heard on the recording too!
- Be submitted by 5:00 pm on Wednesday, January 18 via THIS FORM
Rhythm Section players (drum set, guitar, bass, & piano) will audition live on January 19 at 2:00 in Room 112 of the Brooks Center. All people interested in auditioning for the Spring 2023 Rhythm Section MUST sign up on this form by January 18. Guitarists and Bassists should bring an instrument. Amps will be provided. If you need to borrow an instrument, please contact the band office for help.
Please be prepared to comp and solo on these 3 tunes from the Real Book: Four On Six, Epistrophy, and Blues for Alice. You can find music and reference recordings to practice with here.
You should also be ready to comp and solo on a blues progression in Bb, F, C, and Eb in common big band styles like swing, rock, funk, various latin styles, etc.
Concert Band
Director: Emily Hamlyn | Class: MUSC 3640 | No audition required
The Concert Band provides the opportunity for continued musical growth to wind and percussion students at Clemson University through the preparation and performance of quality music. The Clemson University Concert Band is open to all University students and community members without audition. The band rehearses once a week during the spring semester and presents a popular concert in April.
Pep Band
Director: Timothy Hurlburt | Class: MUSC 3310 | Audition required
A vital element in promoting Tiger Spirit, the Tiger Pep Bands perform at men's and women's home basketball games and other University functions. The Pep Bands also travels to the Atlantic Coast Conference and NCAA basketball tournaments. The Basketball Bands provide highly spirited music for basketball audiences while serving as ambassadors for Clemson University.
Auditions consist of pep band excerpts available in the band office in early October.
Jazz Combo
Director: Adam Knight | Class: MUSC 3300 | Audition required
The Clemson Jazz Combo is a performance course designed to introduce students to small group literature from Be-Bop to the present. Generally consisting of four to eight members, the ensemble emphasizes improvisation, group interaction, and includes solo transcription and analysis. Special attention is given jazz theory and the application of scalar and modal concepts, harmonic function and substitution and rhythmic development. The development of reading skills and technical proficiency is also stressed.
All students will be placed in a section of Jazz Combo based on their ability and background. All instrumentalists and vocalists are welcome. Students will be placed according to improvisation, style, technique and sight-reading. Combo sizes and times will be set based on enrollment and student schedules. All students must plan to attend and play at the first class. This course offers students an opportunity to learn how to improvise, study the great American songbook, study the styles and techniques of the great jazz artists and preparation to perform in jazz and commercial music settings.
Tiger Band Color Guard
Director: Terry Kent | Audition required
The Tiger Guard is full members of the Clemson University Tiger Band and perform whenever and wherever the full band performs. As a member, you will perform live for over 750,000 each year and be seen by over 25 million more during nationally televised events.
All members are expected to attend practice with Tiger Band on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of each week from 3:45-6 p.m. Each member must also be available for a weekly sectional practice with their instructor. The Colorguard meets on Mondays 7-9 p.m.
Tiger Band Dancers
Director: Lindsey Rhodes | Audition required
The Tiger Dancers are members of Clemson University’s Tiger Band and perform anytime the full-band performs. This includes: pep rallies, parades, pre-game and half-time at all home games, half-time at 1-3 away games during the season, First Friday Parade, Tigerama, bowl game, and other exhibitions. The Tiger Dancers are an exciting part of all full-band performances. Members of the group receive 2 credit hours during their fall semester!
Tiger Band Twirlers
Director: Lindsey Rhodes | Audition required
The Tiger Twirlers are members of Clemson University’s Tiger Band and perform anytime the full-band performs. This includes: pep rallies, parades, pre-game and half-time at all home games, half-time at 1-3 away games during the season, First Friday Parade, Tigerama, bowl game, and other exhibitions. The Tiger Twirlers are an exciting part of all full-band performances. Members of each group receive two credit hours during their fall semester!
