Our bassist daughter is a junior in high school and is starting to check out jazz programs for college at: MSM, Berklee, The New School, Eastman, Boston Conservatory and USC.
She has applied for summer jazz programs at MSM and Berklee - but just wondering if you all have any feedback on good summer programs to check out? (I know Berklee is crazy expensive - hoping for a scholarship). We know nothing about the MSM one. Any feedback or recommendations? (she was mainly classical until this year - she is now obsessed with jazz).
It’s great she wants to do a jazz summer program- since she switched from classical so recently it might give her a chance to clarify and feel sure of her path
Interochen is awesome and a little slice of heaven in northern Michigan! My D attended for a different program and loved it. Berklee does have scholarship opportunities and I would encourage your D to audition for one! If she is selected for the jazz workshop (hard to get in but you never know) it’s a full ride!
NEC Jazz Lab!!! Because if she is a bassist she might have my son as her instructor!!
Berklee is awesome but she is going to have to be willing to handle the competition and really throw herself into the scene there.
I agree she should check out NEC’s undergrad program. One nice thing about NEC is that it is small enough that a student need not get “locked in” to any one genre. My own son entered as a Jazz Bass player and his senior year was taking lessons with the classical bass faculty.
My S (jazz guitar but didn’t want to be limited to jazz!) had a very similar list a few years ago and is very happy at NEC. He also auditioned at Oberlin and U Miami Frost (good merit aid available at both) so you might want to consider adding them - although it seems like your D is drawn to city conservatories? You probably know that Boston Conservatory is now connected to Berklee but I’m not sure there’s a jazz program.
Yes - thanks for pointing that out. Instead of Boston Conservatory - she had meant to say NEC. I’ve heard great that your son has found his “place”. Yes - mom (that’s me!) has added Oberlin and Frost to her list. Oberlin might not be “the place” but I want her to at least take a look since it offers a smaller environment in a university setting (vs. just a conservatory). I think it’s important to look at different options to hone it down.
@tripletmama, I think Eastman is a wonderful place and your daughter’s classical background will enhance her chances there. The on-campus jazz audition requires a classical piece which is a little unusual for jazz. My S and I loved the entire audition day there - very comprehensive but so vibrant and welcoming!
You know what’s great for an introduction to jazz is Jamie Abersold Summer Jazz in Kentucky. It’s only 2 weeks, its cheap and it’s fun. Berklee is highly recommended as well. They usually give money no matter what. Usually around $4K for bass players. Send in good quality tapes w good audio. Amazing how a good quality production video gets you!
My son is currently at Eastman Conservatory and spent time at Interlochen, Berklee and Abersold before starting college. Jazz program at Interlochen is good, Berklee is great for summer and so is Boston! Good luck LRA
My son is a sax player, went to the Berklee five-week last summer and loved it. Got a big scholarship (80%) so definitely don’t count it out because it’s expensive. He is going to the Eastman Jazz Program this July, would love to hear from anyone who has done that. I also hear great things about Interlochen.
I am attending the UCSD jazz camp this summer and will study there with Gerald Clayton this year! It’s an amazing and small program. In past years, I have gotten to know Geoff Keezer, Charles McPherson, Edward Simon, Matt Wilson, Ralph Moore, and other very famous jazz musicians,
One amazing thing was hearing first hand stories about icons such as Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, Art Blakey and others from the faculty. There are about 45 students for 15-20 faculty members.
@Piranhavator - I will definitely tell my bassist daughter to check it out. I know that she thinks that John Clayton is amazing (is that who you meant by Gerald Clayton - or is that someone else?) I’ll send her your list. That’s not that far from her, either (she lives in LA). Thanks for the tip!!!
@tripletmama Gerald Clayton is John Clayton’s son. But funny, I actually got a chance to meet and play a tiny bit with John Clayton this past Sunday! He’s a sure nice guy and a good teacher. Has your D considered asking him for a lesson or two?
At the UCSD jazz camp on bass, they have Mark Dresser among others. Not sure if your daughter has heard of him, but he’s a pretty big deal in the avant-garde jazz world.
Cool!! She has met John but she was/is afraid to ask him for a lesson. I just saw that a jazz bassist Anna Abondolo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw-XR0UmSFU studies with John Clayton. Funny you should ask - just an hour or so I asked her classical instructor at Colburn ) to see if he could help her ask John for lessons. I think because she is fairly new to jazz that she was embarrased to ask - but you are never to new or young to ask - they can always say “no”. She is studying with a jazz bassist called Anna Butterss in LA. She loves her and wants her life. Anna teaches - plays regular jazz gigs in LA and goes on tour (she has a month break right now from touring with vocalist from LA). That’s the life that our daughter (Alex) wants.
