Looking for a Great Jazz Studies Program for my son

<p>Hi Everyone,</p>

<p>I have 2 talented kids. My daughter, the artist, and my son the musician. My daughter will be studying animation at UMBC. She was a graphic design major at Salisbury. The idea being if she changed her mind about art she could easily change her major with little loss of credit compared to transferring from an art school to college.</p>

<p>The downside of that is the most talented kids do go to art school and the exposure to other creative students is worth a lot.</p>

<p>With my son I would also like him to go to college and study music rather than a conservatory. Of course there are some conservatories within universities.</p>

<p>If anyone has some recommendations on where to study Jazz, that would be great.</p>

<p>Thanks, Jazzmom</p>

<p>I heard Temple U. has a good music program.</p>

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>My son and I will hit the road to check out schools for Jazz Studies April 5-9. We’ll go to University of Illinois at Urbana, Indiana University, Ohio State U.</p>

<p>What other schools should we try to visit?</p>

<p>Any feedback on Capital University in Columbus, Ohio?</p>

<p>Thanks, Jazzmom2553</p>

<p>U of Rochester-Eastman School</p>

<p>Pitt has a very strong jazz program within the music department. Also - North Texas - you’d never think it but it has a long tradition. From Wikipedia:
“North Texas was the first university in North America to offer a degree in Jazz Studies in 1947[6]. The College of Music is noted for building a world-class jazz program along with the world-renowned One O’Clock Lab Band, which is often highlighted on the campus radio station KNTU. Jazz musician Stan Kenton donated his entire library to the music department, and the Stan Kenton Jazz Recital Hall is named in his honor. Just a few notable alumni of the North Texas jazz program include Lou Marini, Lyle Mays, and Bob Belden, as well as countless members of the orchestras of Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, Buddy Rich, Norah Jones and Maynard Ferguson.”</p>

<p>U of Wisconsin Eau Claire is one to check out, especially since the three you listed are public school sin the Midwest. I’m a working jazz musician in the Midwest, and I seem to keep running into very talented people who went to Eau Claire - and I’d never heard of it before I just started meeting a lot of alumni. </p>

<p>Also, your son’s instrument of choice is important in selecting a school - some schools have individual teachers who are very renowned for a specific instrument.</p>

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>My son plays alto saxophone. He is playing the alto now but started on the bari in ninth grade in the high school jazz band.
On our Midwest trip, we could swing by Chicago for DePaul and Roosevelt. My husband says it’s too dangerous to attend college in the city.
Any feedback on that?
I will investigate U Wisconsin Eau Claire. Thanks.</p>

<p>Here’s one you prob. aren’t familiar with…check out East Carolina University…really good music school. They offer a BM in Jazz Studies with concentrations in voice or instrumental. I can’t link the page for some reason but go to the ECU website and search Jazz Studies. You’ll find lots of info. There are videos of recent concerts on YouTube.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Chicago? Would you care to expand on that?</p>

<p>University of the ARts in Philadelphia has a major jazz program.</p>

<p>jazzmom2553, I suggest you address this here [Music</a> Major - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major]Music”>Music Major - College Confidential Forums) where you will reap the benefit of discipline specific knowledge. Plenty of current jazz knowledgeable folks there as well as an intimate perspective of performance programs.</p>

<p>I’ve asked the mods to consider moving this thread to that forum.</p>

<p>Jazz Mom…Take a look at Loyola New Orleans.</p>

<p>Look at U of Miami</p>

<p>Oberlin College and Conservatory</p>

<p>[Department</a> of Jazz Studies](<a href=“http://www.oberlin.edu/con/divinfo/jazz/]Department”>http://www.oberlin.edu/con/divinfo/jazz/)</p>

<p>See the options for both College and Conservatory tracks; they differ. My spouse was a music major within the college. </p>

<p>The Jazz Studies program (nation’s first within a Conservatory) is one approach resulting in a Bachelors of Music. Oberlin’s jazz studies major was created in the Conservatory in 1989. The program has grown and become one of the most competitive in the country. </p>

<p>Alternatively, explore with care how an Oberlin College student might pursue a 4-year B.A. with a major in Music, accessing (with some limitations) the offerings from the Oberlin Conservatory.
Be careful to look for which offerings are available to college vs. conservatory students.</p>

<p>There are also double-degree majors, college and conservatory (5 year program).</p>

<p>Forty years ago, Oberlin was the first classical Conservatory to stage a concert of Jazz in its facility. They had the Dave Brubeck Quartet, who thanks them each year by performing there. Around 4 years ago, Oberlin enhanced its Jazz Studies Program in the Conservatory of Music by bringing on top musicians from around the country as faculty. Next month they open a brand new building (see next post).</p>

<p>It is worth a long, hard look.</p>

<p>New building Opening Celebration, May 2010; check it out: </p>

<p>[Oberlin</a> College | The Litoff Building | Opening Celebration](<a href=“http://www.oberlin.edu/litoff/celebrate.html]Oberlin”>http://www.oberlin.edu/litoff/celebrate.html)</p>

<p>Stevie Wonder, Bill Cosby…</p>

<p>There is a great deal of information in this Music Major forum discussing jazz that is available through a search. (Maybe the Dads can reference specific links). </p>

<p>Most important, however, is to research what exactly your son is looking for in a music major. Again, there is a great deal of information available here for you and you child to consider. Making the decision to major in music, or to attend a music school, is a journey, not a split-second decision. It requires thought and experience on your son’s behalf, and commitment to the process as well. There are a number of families who have gone through this specifically for jazz (mine included) who will offer help if you want!</p>

<p>These are the ones we heard about (and applied to the first two):
NYU/Steinhardt
USC/Thornton
U of Miami/Frost
Johns Hopkins/Peabody
Northwestern - just brought jazz back in the past year or so, after losing it for a while.
University of North Texas
University of Denver/Lamont</p>

<p>**University of the Pacific **</p>

<p>[The</a> Brubeck Institute - University of the Pacific](<a href=“http://web.pacific.edu/x19959.xml]The”>http://web.pacific.edu/x19959.xml)</p>

<p>[Conservatory</a> of Music - University of the Pacific](<a href=“http://web.pacific.edu/x1458.xml]Conservatory”>http://web.pacific.edu/x1458.xml)</p>

<p>Despite well meaning posters (and the music posters are the best!), there is everything from soup to nuts here. Before people start throwing out names of jazz programs, it’s best to know more about your son, his level of talent, focus and interest. </p>

<p>There are a LOT of jazz programs, but they vary so much that compiling a list, without knowing more, is a little bit like dumping names out of a hat, and just about as useful.</p>

<p>Just my usual $.01. ;)</p>

<p>Sorry, I thought the OP was looking for jazz programs in conservatories within universities. We did not find there to be too many of those, so I rattled off the biggest programs. Of course there is much more to consider!</p>