<p>Hi - I'm new to this discussion site. I've read many of the threads over the last two weeks and have learned <em>so</em> much. I'm hoping somebody can help with the following question: Which liberal arts colleges have good jazz performance programs?</p>
<p>My son is a hs jr. who plays trombone. He's been very involved at a local conservatory (Boston area) and has a good background in improv, ear training, solvege, etc. He is very interested in the dual degree program at Oberlin and NYU but would also like to check out colleges that have a strong jazz performance programs. He's heard that Williams, Wesleyan, Princeton and Columbia have good programs. (We live in New England and Oberlin is about as far away as he is looking at the moment. He also does well academically.).</p>
<p>If he is a strong student and really wants a liberal arts experience where music is a big part of the campus culture, Wesleyan is a good choice. They really have a strong music department and very creative kids--they tend to attract musicians. Princeton's jazz band has a strong reputation. </p>
<p>Amherst has a pretty nice jazz department--we visited there a couple of years ago. Bard doesn't have a strong jazz performance program yet, but I think they are working toward it. However, the campus culture is extremely filled with music--students are playing a lot of music.</p>
<p>As some one who was looking for a similar type of program, I know how hard it is since all the programs are somewhat different. Oberlin and NYU will be very different than the other programs you mentioned as they are actually conservatory programs. You may want to check out McGill for another conservatory program within a university. In terms of liberal arts colleges, I don't know much about the program at Williams. Wesleyan has Anthony Braxton, a big name in avant garde jazz, if thats what you're into, but no other big name jazz faculty. Princeton has a decent program with ensembles that have beaten out conservatory groups in the past for Downbeat awards, but the faculty are not big names like Braxton. Columbia (I am a bit biased here since that is where I will be going next year) has probably the strongest program out of the three with many major New York players like Steve Wilson and Don Sickler and Manhattan School of Music is across the street if you need more people to play with. Most of these schools have a few academic jazz courses like transcription and theory but not on the level of NYU or Oberlin. For another suggestion, Amherst might have a decent program. You could probably take jazz classes at UMass and Stephan Crump, bass player for Vijay Iyer's band, went there.</p>
<p>Oberlin is opening a new jazz wing of the conservatory, aiming at Fall 2009, which should further invigorate an already vibrant program, and is generating a lot of excitement at the conservatory. The double degree program is a good option for someone strong academically -- it is very doable, and can accommodate any number of combinations of majors. Oberlin also has been fairly good about merit awards in the conservatory (and has had some merit award money in the college as well), which is something to consider if you don't qualify for need based aid; as far as I know, none of the other schools you list offers anything but need based aid.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your suggestions. My son is excited about checking out Wesleyan, UMass-Amherst, Amherst, and especially Columbia (in addition to Oberlin & NYU).</p>
<p>UMass Amherst and Amherst are part of a five-college consortium with Hampshire, Smith and Mt. Holyoke and you can audition for any ensemble and take any music class on those campuses if you attend one of the colleges.</p>
<p>My D is now a firstie at MHC and in the Big Band Jazz, and LOVING it. It’s her second term in BBJ and it IS a big band, which is surprising given the size of the college. At least 2 big performances per semester. Formal band practices are 1.5 times each week on average (1.5 hours each) for 1 academic credit. She has also been taking lessons, 1+ hour for 2 credits (must pay $$ if not a declared major). The MHC BBJ web site at the MHC website is not updated since no one wants to do it, but it is updated on Facebook. My D is, today anyway, planning to major or minor in music at MHC, and finds the music courses to be fine. (She will also major in something else). She can get lessons at MHC or at any of the other 4 colleges of the 5-college consortium (Smith, Hampshire, Amherst, UMass-Amherst), depending upon who has what when, and her schedule. Last term at MHC, this term at UMass. I attended a December BBJ performance, and it was top notch. Every March, BBJ has a 40’s “Radio Show”, featuring the band and the gleeks. MHC certainly is not a conservatory and is filled with some very serious students in every possible major. The number of music majors is rather intimate, I think 12 at any one time. But it seems that many non-majors are interested and participate in music. FYI, there is also a symphony orchestra at MHC. But don’t expect an acceptance to MHC SOLELY because you are an AWESOME trombone player, e.g., and a so-so student. You do, however, have to be a girl. ;)</p>
<p>It will be interesting to see how you like umass amherst. When we visited in the past year we were not impressed by the level of the vocal jazz. My d sat in on a class and had a sample lesson. It was not as advanced as her conservatory prep program. Maybe the instrumental program is better.</p>
<p>Look into the University of North Florida. 2nd in the nation for public school jazz education. They’re constantly recording and traveling one of their faculty, J.B. Scott, is a world-class teacher and jazz musician.</p>