<p>Just a guess but I would think less than 25% of working jazz musicians went to any 3 schools even those. Far less 75%</p>
<p>Yes, that seemed kind of high to me as well. His wife says since he went to Eastman, he tends to take note of that more easily. Im just wondering what schools do the working jazz musicians that others know---where did they go to school. No one ever seems to discuss this. School is expensive and and it would be great to know where most WORKING musicians went to school. (And this is on the West Coast) Im sure schools like Julliard produce a lot of session and performaning musicians on the East Coast.</p>
<p>Not as comprehensive as it should be, but a nice list with links from the IAJE:</p>
<p>My son is a drummer (drum set) whose main experience has been in rock, latin and jazz music. He is a high school senior this year, and has just started to take mallet lessons to broaden out a bit. He is interested in performance as a career. Any suggestions on where he might apply to college?</p>
<p>Can he play classical percussion too? If not, several schools cannot be considered, since they require a classical audition, as well as jazz. At some schools, drummers have to be able to sight read keyboard too.</p>
<p>My son is also a jazz drum set senior --our sons may have crossed paths if your son has done any of the summer programs. For the most part my son decided he wants to be around the New York area (except he also likes Miami but is not going there unless he is given lots of money). A lot of the schools in New York and New Jersey have teachers who are also working musicians. I know of students who have graduated and immediately been given gigs with their teachers. Another concern about both Texas and Miami is that they pride themselves on the Graduate schools. I am concerned that the freshman and sophs get enough attention and interaction with the teachers and working musicians, not just grad students. </p>
<p>We probably can share stories or may even meet as the year progresses. Regarding mallets and sight reading --my son has, begrudgingly played mallets for years - -he prefers the set. He also sings and that has helped with sight- reading more than mallets or piano playing. But we have learned the more diversified the students are the better.</p>
<p>hope this helps. Also, make sure your son is brushed up on theory - -a number of the schools require a theory test for admission whileothers use it only for placement.</p>
<p>drumming mom</p>
<p>Sjg, which summer programs has your son attended? (My son also plays drumset). Is your son looking at NYU and New School?</p>
<p>Sorry for taking so long to reply....UNF is University of North Florida in Jacksonville. Good luck !!</p>
<p>You might look into Pitt. I wouldn't go there to study classical music, but I think they have a pretty decent jazz program within the context of a university.
<a href="http://www.pitt.edu/%7Epittjazz/%5B/url%5D">http://www.pitt.edu/~pittjazz/</a></p>
<p>Tony M at VCU is excellent:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.vcujazz.org/index.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.vcujazz.org/index.html</a></p>
<p>Whether or not any particular school has all the same jazz "programs" as some other school, the top schools always have talented musicians and instructors who form excellent jazz ensembles.</p>
<p>Yale and Juilliard are the best music schools in the country, and both have ensembles that would compare favorably to any of the ones at some of the other more jazz-oriented (one sided) music schools.</p>
<p>Some other good options might include Eastman, University of Hartford, Ithaca, Cornell and Indiana-Bloomington.</p>
<p>That's a good point. For eample, the monk-mingus ensemble from princeton recently won the best student jazz ensemble over Eastman, UNT, Oberlin, etc... it was an upset, to say the least.</p>
<p>Of course, that's probably not likely to happen again for very many years, but I think that the best ensembles come from the students going there, not necessarily the faculty (though it helps) or the program.</p>
<p>Yes, I totally agree. The ensembles from Yale, anyhow, have traditionally dominated, and Harvard and Princeton have had a few winning teams as well.</p>
<p>I'm a little biased as a student at New England Conservatory, but having done the whole college search only a couple years ago, I believe NEC has one of the very best jazz programs in the country, especially for performance. The faculty includes some of the best improvisors on the planet (e.g. Danilo Perez, Jerry Bergonzi, Bill Hart, etc.) and the students are at an extremely high level of musicianship. Also, the environment is friendly and supportive.</p>
<p>In addition to offering B.M., M.M., and D.M.A. programs in performance or composition, NEC also offers combined/dual degree programs with Tufts and Harvard, for those who'd like to continue their academic pursuits alongside music. I'm in the Tufts/NEC program, so if you have any questions let me know.</p>
<p>To make the point more clear, Yale is a graduate-level only school, with little or no jazz. Julliard does have a small jazz program, but one should be warned that the atmosphere there (I found when visiting) is quite antagonistic, cold, competitive, etc. Oberlin, NEC, Eastman, Indiana, USC, etc. are/have great music schools that include classical, jazz, and other musical studies.</p>
<p>Yale, the world's best music school, is not graduate level only for music. First of all, it offers a joint B.A./M.M. Second of all, the undergraduate music scene there is by far the most vibrant of any university in the country.</p>
<p>posterX "Yale, the world's best music school"</p>
<p>The world is an awfully big place. There are many wonderful music schools in the U.S., let alone the rest of the world. How about:</p>
<p>Yale, one of the world's best music schools</p>
<p>Also, "the undergraduate music scene there is by far the most vibrant of any university in the country"</p>
<p>I'm glad you are so passionate about Yale, but once again, this is hyperbole.</p>
<p>By the way, I went to a very fine university conservatory and I am a professional musician. Never once in my life did anyone who gave me a job ask where I was educated, nor did they care. All that was important was my ability. Most of my ability came from learning on the job and very little from my formal music education.</p>
<p>The School of music at Yale is indeed a graduate-level only school. Of course I'm sure there's a great undergraduate music scene, and perhaps undergraduates in the College can collaborate with those in the School of music, but I was just pointed out that in terms of music degrees Yale will only suffice at the graduate level, the BA/MM notwithstanding (though that too, is a graduate degree!)</p>
<p>Also for you jazzers out there, I don't believe Yale's music school has much.</p>
<p>Did anyone mention USC or NYU yet? Know some excellent high school jazz musicians who, after much investigation, have chosen programs at one of those two universities.</p>
<p>Most of the professional jazz musicians we've encountered went to Berklee in Boston, but it's not for those who want a more rounded college experience.</p>
<p>(I agree about Yale. Excellent conservatory, of course, but we didn't find much jazz there when we looked a few years ago.)</p>
<p>Jazz at Thorton is supposedly excellent. Have heard very mixed reviews about NYU; MSM, Juilliard and Mannes all have better jazz programs than NYU, if one wants to be in NYC (according to those in the know).</p>