As the premier jazz ensemble of The United States Army, The U.S. Army Blues is a group of historical importance whose repertoire honors and remembers some of the most important eras in American history. Comprised of exceptional jazz musicians from across the nation, the Army Blues strives to fulfill its mission through public concerts and education outreach; representing the professional excellence of the Army while preserving the tradition of America’s unique art form: jazz.
In an effort to further this mission and highlight the excellence of the next generation of jazz musicians, the Army Blues hosts an annual solo competition to recognize and celebrate talented young musicians.
The winning soloists will be featured with The Army Blues in a live concert and recording in Spring, 2025 (TBA).
Submission Instructions
All application materials are due on February 01, 2025. Winners will be notified no later than February 7, 2024.
Questions? E-mail SSG James Collins and SSG Daniel Andrews
Competition Eligibility
- Eligible instruments: Voice, Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Piano, Guitar, Bass, Vibraphone and drum set.
- Click the “Apply Here!” button to submit a link (YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, etc.) to a video recording of the applicant performing the required musical selections with live rhythm section, play-along recording or metronome. Please ensure the video is viewable without a login. For the most privacy, we recommend YouTube “unlisted” privacy settings.
- Do not e-mail video files.
High School Division
- Open to U.S. citizens currently enrolled in DC-area high schools (grades 9 - 12), to include the District of Columbia, Prince Georges Co., Montgomery Co., Howard Co., Anne Arundel Co., Baltimore Co., Fairfax Co., Fairfax City, City of Falls Church, Prince William Co., Loudoun Co., Arlington Co., Alexandria City. Applications may be accepted from students who do not live in these jurisdictions, but have a connection to them through either a musical organization or a private teacher.
Collegiate Division
- Open to all U.S. citizens age 26 and younger as of May 1, 2025, currently enrolled in a college, university, or conservatory in the United States, or who graduated from a degree program in December 2024.
Repertoire
- Misty (Erroll Garner) Head and one improvised chorus; Ballad tempo
- Blue Monk (Thelonius Monk) Head and improvised choruses; 90-120 bpm
- The total recorded submission should not exceed 8 minutes in length (no out heads necessary)
- Con Alma (Dizzy Gillespie) - Head and improvised choruses; quarter note = 130-140 bpm
- How About You (Burton Lane) - Fast up-tempo swing; head and improvised chorus'
- Darn That Dream (Jimmy Van Heusen) - Head and one improvised chorus; ballad tempo
- The total recorded submission should not exceed 12 minutes in length (no out heads necessary)
Past Winners
Collegiate Division
| Year | Winner | School |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Brendan Malloy (Guitar) | The University of North Texas (Denton, TX) |
| 2020 | Liam Sutcliffe (Trumpet) | Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ) |
| 2021 | Austin Ford (Trumpet) | The University of North Texas (Denton, TX) |
| 2022 | Ben Turner (Guitar) | Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI) |
| 2023 | Christian Ertl (Saxophone) | Temple University (Philadelphia, PA) |
High School Division
| Year | Winner | School |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Nate Stanley (Guitar) | Broadneck High School (Arnold, MD) |
| 2020 | Ronan Zwa (Saxophone) | The Bullis School (Potomac, MD) |
| 2021 | Jonathan Orellana-Sanchez (Trumpet) | Westfield High School (Chantilly, VA) |
| 2022 | Aiden Interrante (Trumpet) | Mt. Hebron High School (Ellicott City, MD) |
| 2023 | Elijah Lester (Piano) | Yorktown High School (Arlington, VA) |
