Dr. Frederick Harris, Jr., Music Director, MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble, MIT Jazz Performance Coordinator, and Emerson/Harris Jazz Advisor, (fharris@mit.edu)

MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble (21M.442) may be taken for credit or as a Listener (not for credit).

 

ABOUT THE MIT FESTIVAL JAZZ ENSEMBLE

The MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble (MIT FJE) was founded in 1963 by Boston jazz icon Herb Pomeroy and led since 1999 by Dr. Frederick Harris, Jr. This advanced 18 to 20-member big band/jazz ensemble is comprised of outstanding MIT undergraduate and graduate students studying a wide range of disciplines. An advanced combo is formed from the membership of the MIT FJE. MIT FJE performs traditional and contemporary jazz ensemble literature, including student compositions and new works written for the MIT FJE by major jazz composers. Improvisation is a prominent part of the MIT FJE experience. MIT FJE has released five professional recordings including its major jazz label debut on Sunnyside in 2015, Infinite Winds, which received a five-star review from DownBeat and was chosen by the magazine as one of its “Best Albums of 2015 Five-Star Masterpieces.”

The FJE has a long history of performing original music by MIT students and composers from around the world. Since 2001, it has presented over 50 world premieres. Among others, Mark Harvey, Herb Pomeroy, Jamshied Sharifi, Ran Blake, John Harbison, Chick Corea, Joe Lovano, Gunther and George Schuller, Kenny Werner, Don Byron, Steve Turre, Magali Souriau, Guillermo Klein, Chris Cheek, Miguel Zenón, Dominique Eade, and Luciana Souza have collaborated with the MIT FJE. In January of 2019 the FJE participated in a highly successful cultural exchange, touring Puerto Rico with Miguel Zenón, presenting concerts in various venues and also STEM workshops in middle and high schools.

Learn about the MIT FJE’s collaboration with Grammy-winner Jacob Collier in this Emmy-winning documentary. Watch the Emmy-nominated documentary The Great Clarinet Summit, featuring MIT FJE. See an overview of MIT FJE’s recent tour of Puerto Rico. Watch MIT FJE and Sean Jones perform an original composition by MIT student Alan Osmundson and Warren Wolf perform Heal! by MIT pianist-composer Peter Godart. MIT FJE participated in MIT's 2021 virtual Commencement, performing Diary of a Pandemic Year. See an overview of MIT FJE’s history here.

In March of 2023 the MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble, along with the MIT Wind Ensemble and MIT Vocal Jazz Ensemble, toured and performed in the Brazilian Amazon. The project was focused on cultural and environmental sustainability and music's power as a vehicle for change.

 

REHEARSALS

T/TH, 5:15-7:15pm, Killian Hall

 

CONCERTS

Fall 2025

  • Friday, October 24 - 8pm - MIT's Annual Family Weekend Concert 
  • Saturday, November 15 - 8pm - Fall Concert

Spring 2026

  • Saturday, March 7 - 8pm - Dan Tepfer, guest artist
  • Friday, April 17 - 7:30pm - MIT's Annual Campus Preview Weekend Concert
  • Saturday, April 25 - 8pm - Spring Concert
  • Friday, May 8 - MIT FJE guest on MITWE concert with Klein World Premiere and Miguel Zenón and Ben Monder

 

MIT FJE 2025 FALL AUDITIONS

Auditions for Fall 2025 participation in the MIT Festival Ensemble (21M.442) are Sept. 2-5, with additional options on August 28 & 29. If you wish to audition earlier than these dates you may do so on zoom with Dr. Harris. Email him directly (fharris@mit.edu) to set up a day/time.

 

NOTE:  Auditions for the MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble, CMS Jazz Combos, and the Emerson/Harris Jazz Program are all combined into one audition. Your interests in any or all of these opportunities are covered by ONE jazz audition.

 

MIT FJE/Jazz auditions are also held Spring 2026 but students are strongly encouraged to audition in Fall 2025 for participation for the full AY. Accepted students may take MIT FJE for credit (6 units) but may also participate registering as a Listener (not for credit).

 

MIT FJE is comprised of MIT undergraduate and graduate students but all local college students, MIT community members, and non-MIT community members are welcome to audition. The audition lasts approximately 15 minutes. While the typical instrumentation of the MIT FJE comprises saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and full rhythm section, any other interested instrumentalists are welcome to audition. 

 

First MIT FJE rehearsal of the Fall semester will be Tuesday, September 9th, 5:15-7:15pm, Killian Hall.

 

REGISTER FOR MIT FJE AUDITION here

 There are four parts to the audition

1.  Chromatic scale through your entire range

2.  Sight-reading. **Rhythm Section players (Piano/Vibes/Guitar/Bass/Drums) see note below.

3.  Two short stylistically contrasting pieces (a ballad and a swing/bebop composition for example). You are encouraged but not required to demonstrate your improvisational ability. Please provide your own recorded accompaniments if possible. If you need playback equipment for recorded accompaniments, please note this request in your audition form and describe exactly what you need.

4.  Prepare the part for your instrument for Mingus' composition O.P. (prepare the whole piece but you’ll only be asked to play excerpts), and also prepare one segment of Zenon’s Ya (ONLY measures 27 through 42 for Ya).  

 

Parts to both of these pieces are HERE.

 NOTE:  The sax parts for Ya are titled “woodwind 1, 2 3, 4, 5."

 

Wind players may choose which part to prepare (i.e. tenor 1 or 2, trumpet 1, 2, 3, trombone 1, 2, 3, etc.).  Guitar and Vibes can use the piano part.

 

Study recording of O.P.  is HERE

Study recording of Ya  is HERE

 

**NOTE for Rhythm Section players:

*Piano/Vibes/Guitar:  Sight-reading of basic chord changes will be part of your audition.  Guitar and bass players should provide their own amps. If that is not possible, please inform the Events Office at least 24 hours in advance of your audition day.

*Bass:  Sight-reading of basic swing and funk/Latin charts and chord changes will be part of your audition.

*Drum Set:  Sight-reading of basic swing and Latin/funk charts and performance of four/eight bars of time followed by four/eight bars of soloing in both swing and funk/Latin styles at a medium tempo will be part of our audition.

 

If you have any questions about auditions/MIT FJE in general, contact Dr. Fred Harris (fharris@mit.edu). If you need access to an instrument, fill out the Instrument Request Form,  then contact the MTA Events Office (mta-request@mit.edu). 

 

 Note: Students who register for an audition and need access to the MTA 4-260 practice room suite during the week leading up to auditions, may request access by emailing mta-request@mit.edu. Percussionists will be given access to the Kresge Percussion Studio, and can also request access by emailing mta-request@mit.edu