Best university jazz programs

College Majors Music Major
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<p>Have you had a sample lesson with any of the teachers at the schools you are still seriously considering? The fit between teacher and student is extremely important for performance majors, so it would be a good idea to take a lesson with any of them you have not worked with before deciding.</p>

<p>These are all highly regarded programs. You probably know what the jazz scene outside of Eastman is like in Rochester a lot better than I do. Of course it is going to be good in a city like New York, Boston or Miami, but each city and each school has a slightly different flavor. Is there a particular style of Jazz that you prefer? That could point you in one direction or another.</p>

<p>NEC is known for only offering anything even close to full tuition to a very small number of students. If you get that kind of money there, they really want you.</p>

<p>The full tuition deal at Miami is a very tempting offer. It would get you way out of Rochester and let you save tons of money toward grad school or toward upgrading your equipment and starting a career.</p>

<p>Congratulations on all the great choices you have, and good luck wherever you wind up. By the way, I will add your acceptances to our master list at <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/817953-master-list-acceptances-fall-2010-a-51.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/817953-master-list-acceptances-fall-2010-a-51.html&lt;/a&gt; Let me know if you get into Eastman and I will add that one too.</p>

<p>Another question: do you play electric, upright or both? If both, which will be your primary instrument to study at school?</p>

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<p>Thanks BassDad for your quick and thorough response! I agree that it would be good to get in touch with every teacher and weigh this into the decision making. Honestly, I am not terribly concerned with this as I tend to be very adaptive to different teachers, and after all am primarily self taught on the bass. But yes, it is still a very important aspect of the music school experience.</p>

<p>Rochester is much smaller than these other cities, and the jazz scene reflects that fact. To be honest, Eastman pretty much is the jazz scene. I can see myself being a musician in New York or Boston more than Miami, however one huge appeal about Miami is the Cuban music influence, which brings authentic latin music to the surface. I have very eclectic tastes, so as long as music is being made at a high level, I’ll likely be very happy :)</p>

<p>I had heard that NEC isn’t the best with giving out money, and had heard the same, even more so, about New School. Then New School surprised me with a $20,600 scholarship, so I won’t count NEC out just yet until I know for sure how much or how little they will be able to offer me.</p>

<p>To answer your last question, I started on electric, but I’d say that upright has become my main focus, especially for undergrad studies.</p>

<p>Thanks again BassDad! I wish my own father was as helpful :P</p>

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<p>In defense of many parents, please realize that the music admissions process is a “difficult” area in comparison to typical academic studies. </p>

<p>Almost any mainstream magazine will have it’s college admissions do & don’ts article, there are countless books, info can be gleaned from a variety of sources including guidance counselors, friends, peers, co-workers. </p>

<p>Those parents and students seeking music advice have far more limited options, and many simply do not know where to begin to look.</p>

<p>Many of us parents recognize that, and it constitutes a good part of why we are here.</p>

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<p>Determine the type of jazz you like to play, whether it is more traditional or more experimental or adventurous. There is a huge difference between your schools, just in that aspect (not to mention the difference in the cities, which is also huge).</p>

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<p>btiberio, check out the Alumni from the schools you are looking to go to. If they are currently successful then they will know your ablility as a grad of the same program. U of Miami has some awesome alums. Especially guitar. The free ride is too good to turn down. Plus you’ll enjoy the weather better than those other places you are considering.</p>

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<p>violadad, I can totally see where you are coming from. I should mention however that my dad is a jazz saxophonist who is well known in the Rochester area, and he is also the music director at my high school. So he does have some considerable knowledge in this area. I think his reasoning for staying out of the college selection process is that he really wants it to be my decision and is trying to not influence my choice. But ok, enough about my personal life :P</p>

<p>-Allmusic-, I would have to say that I have always been more of an experimental player (I live for all that complex, odd-meter, poly-rhythmic stuff), however I can also see the benefits of studying at a more traditional school like Eastman. There is something to be said about having the traditional jazz vocabulary- it is essential if aspiring to be the best. I am feeling somewhat as though my heart and my head are at war in regards to this decision.</p>

<p>JazzFan123- This is very true!!</p>

<p>Thank you all.</p>

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<p>does anyone know anything about the music/jazz program at princeton</p>

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<p>Of the Ivies, Princeton probably has the best jazz program, though Columbia’s is improving. Princeton offers subsidies for private study and says they have some money for summer study. The music major at Princeton still has the regular academic curriculum to contend with, and you would be best to email them and find out the number of students currently in the jazz program and who teaches your specific instrument, which I assume is jazz drumset. If Princeton is like Columbia, they probably take musicians for their ensembles from the entire student body and not just from the music department.</p>

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<p>My son is an electric bass guitar player (with a background in violin, as well). He would like to major in jazz performance, but does not play upright bass. He is attending jazz camps at Eastman and Interlochen this summer. Any suggestions for jazz programs (besides Berklee and UNT), which would allow majors on electric bass, have good performance opportunities for this instrument and wouldn’t marginalize him for not playing upright?</p>

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<p>I don’t profess to be an expert about bass players, but the programs with which I’m familiar do require acoustic bass. I have a friend whose son’s goal was to play electric bass in college. He was not looking at top tier music programs, and his search was limited to schools in our state. Within that limited scope, he was generally told that playing electric bass as part of a college music degree was not an option. Nevertheless, he did find a school that accepted him for Music Technology with an electric bass audition, though he will be required to learn acoustic bass once he gets to school. Not to try to discourage you, but this may be an indication of what you might be up against.</p>

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<p>Lawrence University - It has a great conservatory attached to a liberal arts college - good jazz department too - everyone is fit into a combo - so you really know what it is like to work together - they also have these sweet jam sessions -</p>

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<p>Thanks for your input. I think some lessons on upright bass are definitely in his future, in order to broaden his options. As for Lawrence University, they have sent us some very impressive-looking materials and are well-regarded (first heard about the program from Loren Pope’s “Colleges that Change Lives” - I think that’s the title?) I liked the YouTube clip.</p>

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<p>University of Northern Colorado is ranked as one of the top five college jazz programs in the nation</p>

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<p>Mamonde, could you talk more about Northern Colorado? I was not aware they had a jazz program.</p>

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<p>North Colorado is always mentioned among the top jazz vocal programs in the country, and it’s been that way for a long time … I don’t know about instrumental jazz.</p>

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<p>Ahh that makes sense VicAria, I don’t know vocal jazz, only instrumental!</p>

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<p>Berklee - my son has attended three summers on full scholarship to the five program
Disjointed. A few great teachers, mostly adjunct faculty. Poorly laid out campus, if that is what you can call it. No health services (I mean, nothing including any facilities or any medical person)- must go to hospital. No health/athletic/exercise facilities. None.
Berklee aggressively goes after students from all over the world, especially those with the cash money to attend. So the mix is wealthy international and national kids with bucks many with limited chops.
Expensive. Total cost close to $60K.
Berklee use to be an integral part of the Boston jazz scene. Not now, there is no scene and performance opportunities are limited. No SATs, only a diploma, GED.</p>

<p>UNT - good program, limited performance opportunities. Don’t agree that 75% of LA session musicians are from there. Truth is, good session musicians don’t come from any program. Requires standard HS curriculum be completed. SATs. REasonable cost.</p>

<p>IU Bloomington - David Baker has put together a great jazz program. Many of the profs are from classical backgrounds but they are getting it right. Well endowed music school. Tough HS requirements, they won’t bend. requires SATs. Average cost.</p>

<p>Juilliard - No SATs, any HS diploma. tough audition requirements, you must stick around all day till 8 at night for call backs? Over sold as a jazz school. Read the faculty, not much of substance. Expensive. Limited living arrangements, expensive after a few years.</p>

<p>As to Peabody, Curtis, CO, Eastman and others - some good some bad. If you are good you likely know what you want to do the problem is finding who to do it with. FAcilities aren’t as important as opportunities are. The schools connections to real world work and advancement are important. For example, Juilliard - if you are an outstanding trumpet player, the wrong color, you may not fit against the artistic director there. Been there. Fact is, there are many young musicians who can’t get playing gigs or paying work because they are kept out by the older musicians. I’ve been dealing with it for years.</p>

<p>Bottom line - know what you want to do, find the best person (not necessarily the school) you want to study with. Go there, plan on where you want to go with your musical life and
develop your own program.</p>

<p>Some not so well knowns - Queens College, NY. Antonio Hart and the other faculty have a great program. Multiple playing opportunities.</p>

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<p>Few add-ons to Pdesmond’s post:</p>

<p>There really are playing opportunities for Berklee kids. We know kids who are gigging a lot, but they are the cream of the crop, who are well known in the jazz scene from Brubeck, Grammy, etc. It isn’t hard to get gigs at a lot of places (albeit not at Scullers or the Regattabar), even if you aren’t a superstar.</p>

<p>A lot of kids would rather be playing in Boston than in Bloomington…or in Rochester…not much happening there. There isn’t much happening in Oberlin, Ohio either, but there is quite a jazz scene on campus, with some very busy musicians and a great program.</p>

<p>True that there is no health service at Berklee. MSM doesn’t have one either, and kids have to go to Pres/St. Luke’s. NEC has mostly nurse practitioners, on staff till about 4 or so. </p>

<p>There isn’t any jazz at Curtis.</p>

<p>Peabody is still mostly focused on classical. Jazz department is small and still emerging, after a number of years.</p>

<p>Finding a single teacher to study with is not the most important thing in jazz (although it is in classical). Jazz is a collaborative genre, and requires people which whom to jam and play. The best teacher in the world will not make up for combos or big bands of players of unequal or substandard (or too high, as it will limit playing opps) ability. </p>

<p>My opinion remains that the ability and style of the other students, as well as the local scene (on or off campus) are the two most important components in choosing a jazz program.</p>

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<p>pdesmond: What is “CO”?</p>

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<p>Please, tell me where Berklee (or any kid) plays in Boston. Not Ryles. I really would like to know. Slade’s? No. Wally’s is smaller than my house. Most Boston kids head to NYC. I’ve been doing this for years and few places in Boston will take kids under 21. Unless you have the family money of Grace to self promote, nothing in Boston.
Bloomington (I lived there for many years. I now live in MA) has more places to sit in and more coming. Plus there are more playing opportunities on campus. Indianapolis also have many places as well. Just be carful where you go.</p>

<p>I disagree about a teacher being the most important. A serious student will find the level and players he/she needs. Finding the best teacher is more important if you want to perform. Generally, the good teachers will have good combos. One very good example of this is UNCSA. Ron Rudkin and Tamiur Sullivan have an incredible program. No one ever talks about it. I’ve heard their ensembles and groups and they put anything at Berklee to second best. But schools with larger jazz programs don’t necessarily have good teachers. Juilliard is a good example. Jazz is collaborative and also requires more flexibility i.e. session work, open mics, etc. Classical music isn’t turning out soloist like it use to. The venues aren’t there.
The best teacher in the world will give you more opportunities. The Aaron Copeland program at Queens College is small but near NYC which is where the student will go to play and jam. Berklee has many jam opportunities within but, again, there is very limited outside performing opportunities. yet Berklee still sells itself as a performance school.</p>