School of Music & Theater

The Salsa Band in performance

Jazz & Contemporary Music Ensembles

Get Info about Jazz & Contemporary Music Ensembles

Join a dynamic urban music community through Portland State’s jazz and contemporary ensembles. No matter your major, our ensembles bring your personal experience to the public stage, offering real-world performance opportunities in the heart of the Pacific Northwest. 

For students seeking professional training, we also offer a comprehensive Jazz Music major — learn more about the degree program and curriculum.

Jazz & Contemporary Music Ensembles 

Open to all students regardless of major.

Five PSU Vocal Collective students singing on stage with a jazz band playing behind them.

PSU Vocal Collective

An intermediate to advanced vocal ensemble of 5–12 singers and a rhythm section performing cutting-edge jazz and contemporary arrangements. Strong musicianship and vocal ability are essential as the group explores complex harmonies and innovative textures. In addition to campus events, the Collective travels statewide for outreach at jazz clubs, schools, and sporting events. Full availability for rehearsals and travel is required. Auditions are required.

Photo of PSU jazz students performing

Jazz Band

Also known as the Jazz Lab Band, this ensemble performs traditional and contemporary big band literature. Students develop precision, power, and a deep understanding of the big band tradition. Auditions are required.

Rhythm Lab

PSU’s most eclectic ensemble is a student-centered laboratory for creative expression. Open to the entire university, students select and perform repertoire spanning jazz, rock, soul, world music, and video game scores, emphasizing leadership and collaboration. Rhythm Lab is a powerful example of student-centered learning in action, giving students the opportunity to lead, collaborate, and bring the music they love vividly to life. Rhythm Lab is welcoming to students who do not read music or those with non-traditional backgrounds as long as they play a physical instrument or sing. Auditions are not required.

Combos

Small group performance is the heartbeat of jazz. Students are encouraged to form their own intimate combos to master the nuances of spontaneity and communication. These groups foster close-knit community connections and serve as a vital creative outlet for improvisers. Auditions are required.

From Campus to the City

Our ensembles don't just stay in the classroom. Benefit from PSU's location in Portland’s cultural epicenter as you transition from campus recitals to gigs at the city’s premier jazz venues. At PSU, the ensemble experience is your entry point into the professional music scene.

Audition & Participation Information

The audition includes some melody, rhythm, and choral part reading, range check for voice type, and a prepared part from a vocal jazz arrangement. Auditions are open to all students regardless of major.

Auditions take place the week before the first week of fall term and during the first couple of days of fall term.

Dates: Available in September
Location: Lincoln Hall 47 & 75

If you have any further questions, please contact Sherry Alves (alves4@pdx.edu).

How to Audition

  1. Review the audition materials and practice exercises below.
  2. Sign up for an audition slot. (Sign-ups open in September)
  3. Come to the audition warmed up and ready to sing!

Audition Materials

Download the audition packet to get details about the audition information. Review the past audition packet from 2025-2026 auditions.

Prepared Part Reading: Learn this assigned excerpt.

Select the part that best suits your range and learn the sheet music. Use the provided Part Track as a practice guide. Next, sing along with the Demo track. During the audition, you will sing your part using the Demo track. The excerpt does not need to be memorized for the audition. Singers will use a provided microphone during the part-reading portion of the audition. Consider the following elements when learning the part reading portion of the audition: accuracy of notes and rhythm, intonation, dynamics, blend, timbre, cutoffs, etc.

Musicianship Exercises

  • Sight Reading: You will be asked to sight read various melodic passages at varying levels of difficulty.
  • Rhythm Reading: Sight-read jazz rhythm and articulations using “dah” vowel.
  • Part Reading: Sight read the part that best suits your range within an SATB chorale style excerpt.
  • Tonal Memory: I will play various melodic patterns and you will sing back what you hear.

Notification Process

The ensemble coordinator will email students within a week after the last audition day whether they’re invited to join the ensemble.

Program Requirements

Participate in the program all year (fall, winter, and spring term). Placement priority is given to students who can register for the appropriate course listed below. 

Rehearsals: Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:30-4:00 in Lincoln Hall Rm 75 

Courses

Participants are required to enroll in one of these 1-credit courses each term depending on class standing:

  • MUS 198 - 1 CREDIT (12292) freshman/sophomore undergraduate
  • MUS 398 - 1 CREDIT (12362) junior/senior undergraduate
  • MUS 598 - 1 CREDIT (12437) graduate

Auditions take place the week before the first week of fall term and during the first couple of days of fall term.

Auditions are open to all students regardless of major.

Dates: Available in September
Location: Lincoln Hall 47 & 75

How to Audition

  1. Review the audition materials and practice exercises below.
  2. Sign up for an audition slot. (Sign ups open in September).
  3. Fill out the audition form before your audition date.
  4. Come to the audition warmed up and ready to play!

Audition Materials

Horns and Voice

  1. Play the melody and improvise one chorus of a jazz standard of your choice. Use the backing track of your choice (bring your own device), or we can provide iRealpro at the audition.
  2. Sight reading of big band style chart excerpt (horns) or single line melody (voices)

Rhythm Section (Piano, Bass, Guitar, Vibes)

  1. Play the melody, improvise one chorus, and either comp or walk a bass line for the last chorus of "Autumn Leaves" in G minor OR "Have You Met Miss Jones" in F major. Students will play with Aebersold Tracks (DOWNLOAD TRACKS). Pan tracks left or right to eliminate bass or piano from the mix.
  2. Sight reading of big band style chart excerpt.

Drums

  1. Demonstration of the following musical styles:
    1. Jazz (quarter-note = 185-200 bpm)
    2. Funk (quarter-note = 100-150 bpm)
    3. Samba (half-note = 100-125 bpm)
    4. Bossa Nova (quarter-note = 150 bpm)
    5. Afro-Cuban 6/8 (dotted-quarter-note = 135-145 bpm)
  2. Demonstration of trading 4-bar, 8-bar, and 12-bar improvised solo phrases; swing
  3. Sight reading of big band style chart excerpt.

Voice

Vocalists may audition for Combos but not Jazz Band.

Notification Process

The ensemble coordinator will email students within a week after the last audition day whether they’re invited to join the ensemble.

Program Requirements

Participate in the program all year (fall, winter, and spring term). Placement priority is given to students who can register for the appropriate course listed below. 

Rehearsals: Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:30-4:00 PM in Lincoln Hall Rm 75 

Courses

Participants are required to enroll in one of these 1-credit courses each term depending on class standing:

  • MUS 198 - 1 CREDIT (12292) freshman/sophomore undergraduate
  • MUS 398 - 1 CREDIT (12362) junior/senior undergraduate
  • MUS 598 - 1 CREDIT (12437) graduate

Auditions are not required for Rhythm Lab. If you audition for a Jazz Band you might be placed in Rhythm Lab if you are not assigned to the advanced group. 

Students can enroll directly in the ensemble course (MUS 198, MUS 398) or contact the instructor Darrell Grant to discuss any interest.

Program Requirements

Rehearsals: Mondays and Wednesdays 3:30-4:45 PM

Performances:

  • One time at the Jazz area recital on Thursday between 12:40 & 1:20 PM
  • One end-of-term concert usually in Week 10 or the beginning of Finals week.

Faculty

A man in a red turtle neck, black leather jacket, newsboy cap, and glasses.

George Colligan 

Instrumental Jazz Area Coordinator

George Colligan is not only one of the great jazz pianists of his generation, but he has earned an international reputation as a multi-instrumentalist, composer, accompanist, teacher, and bandleader. 

Contact George about this content
Headshot of Vocal Jazz professor Sherry Alves.

Sherry Alves

Vocal Jazz Area Coordinator

Sherry Alves is the Instructor of Jazz Voice at Portland State University where she teaches applied jazz voice, improvisation, jazz pedagogy, jazz vocal ensembles and combos, and special topics in music history.

Contact Sherry about this content
Headshot of PSU Jazz professor Darrell Grant sitting in front of a piano.

Darrell Grant 

Professor of Jazz & Interdisciplinary Studies (Rhythm Lab Coordinator)

Jazz pianist and composer Darrell Grant has performed in some of the best clubs in the country, but his most important gig is right here at Portland State, where he communicates the joy of jazz to the students in the heart of Oregon's cultural center.

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PSU's Music programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).