Awesome Jazz programs?
I want to help, but the extremely brief and piece-meal posts are making the process slower.
If you haven’t seen it already, do a google search for Downbeat magazine’s jazz school guide, Where to study jazz in 2016. You can download it for free, although you have to fill out an info form first. Lots of good information there. Also, there’s a great thread you can read through here:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/154774-best-university-jazz-programs-p1.html
Agree with GoForth.
FWIW, my son plays jazz sax, about to (!!) commit to a jazz studies program for the fall. I’ve listed the programs that bubbled up during his college search. Note that they all have different reputations in terms of emphasis (straight up, new jazz, big band, combos, etc.)
Berklee
William Patterson
Hartt
SUNY Purchase
Frost
New School
NEC
Juilliard
NYU
NY City College (because of Steve Wilson)
Eastman
Jacobs
Oberlin
University of Michigan
Michigan State
Thornton USC
Columbia
MSM
UNT
Northwestern
@ScreenName48105, that’s very close to our long list (S does jazz piano). We also heard good things about Western Michigan, Cal Arts, Loyola New Orleans, umass amherst, Arizona State, and cal state long beach.
As screenName mentioned the type of Jazz varies, but so does the approach to teaching. Things to think about are: What type of Jazz do the students who graduate from the program play?
What are the ensembles like?
How are the ensembles put together?
Does you study with the same teacher? Does that teacher’s instrument have to be the same instrument as the one you play?
What about collaborations with musicians in other departments (such as the classical department)?
What opportunities exist for gigging with other musicians?
Is the focus on technique or the focus on musicality?
What about opportunities to take non-music courses? Many jazz musicians are interested in poetry and art?
What sort of student does the program attract?
If you asked my son who is about to graduate he feels as though he went to the BEST program from HIM. But he has friends who graduated from other programs who are doing well and also seemed very happy.