<p>I just got into the Umass Jazz program on upright bass.... I was just wondering if anyone had experience with the program or had any insight on the quality of the experience</p>
<p>Congrats on your acceptance!!!</p>
<p>First of all--congratulations! </p>
<p>My son was accepted to UMass for jazz last year. Here's our impression. Wonderful, warm, small department. Great fun college experience. But the musical opportunities at a jazz program like MSM, NEC, New School (less so because of size), and probably some others that we never really investigated were more attractive. If you are not primarily driven to try to make it in performance and a well-rounded college experience is what you want, UMass could be great fun, and the small size of the jazz department would probably give you lots of opportunities to play. If you are looking for leading teachers, you might want to look further. I think the bass teacher at UMass is primarily a classical bassist--but, I am not sure if there is someone else on board for jazz this year.</p>
<p>I got my Bachelor’s degree in jazz performance at UMass Amherst. I am not a bass player, but knew many bass players that studied at UMass. Let me tell you briefly about the department. If you go there for jazz bass, you will study will Salvatore Macchia, who is a competent classical composer who used to be a jazz bassist, but now pretty much hates jazz (though he won’t say so directly), except when he’s called to do jazz faculty concerts. If you study bass with him, all you’ll do for four years is practice bowing your scales. If developing classical technique and superb intonation is all you care about, then he’s your man, but he’s not going to give you any advice on constructing bass lines or how to operate in a rhythm section. (His only jazz advice is, “just transcribe on your own.” He won’t talk about your transcriptions with you very much if at all.) He has an extremely black-and-white view of music in particular and life in general, and he fits the worst stereotypes of the uptight, pretentious, judgmental classical musician. He can be warm at times, but he has an extremely volitile temper that results in emotionally abusive outbursts. He prides himself on being able to reduce people to nothing.</p>
<p>So, if your basic technique needs a lot of work, you are motivated to pursue the creative aspect of playing on your own, and are extremely mature and emotionally resilient, then he’s your guy. But if you want a creative and holistic approach to music, I wouldn’t bother with him. </p>
<p>If you were an aspiring classical composer, I might recommend him, but only if you think the sun rises and sets over Milton Babbit. </p>
<p>I hope this was helpful.</p>