Jazz Studies at JU are centered
on the chamber jazz experience to concentrate on small group communication and
the origins of the jazz language.
Faculty:
John
Ricci, Director of Jazz Studies
Professor of Saxophone
www.johnriccimusic.com
Gary Starling, Artist in Residence, Guitar
www.garystarling.com
Scott Giddens, Jazz Piano
www.scottgiddens.com
Rick Kirkland, Drum Set
Billy Thornton, Upright Bass
www.billythornton.com
The BACHELOR OF ARTS IN MUSIC, JAZZ EMPHASIS is a
degree program that balances a general standard music core with the required university
core. It allows enough flexibility for
the aspiring jazz artist to take full advantage of the JU jazz program
represented in the Jazz Emphasis course sequence. The primary focus of this
program is to concentrate your time to fully develop as an advanced performer
prior to graduate study.
The JU JAZZ EMPHASIS is centered on the small group or the chamber jazz
approach, which reflects the type of training expected of today’s top modern
jazz performers. The program includes fours years of jazz combos at various
levels balanced with additional ensembles relative to your instrument, Jazz
Applied lessons, Jazz Theory and Fundamentals, Jazz Piano, Jazz Improvisation I
and II, Advanced Improvisation, and Jazz History. These courses are not limited
to the BA in Music, they can also be implemented into many of our other degree
program tracks including: The Bachelors
in Music Performance for a more rigorous approach that combines classical
study with jazz, The Bachelors in Music
Composition and the Bachelors of
Science in Music Business.
JU performing arts music
students in the jazz program stay very busy, performing in at least two
featured concerts per year, but also engage in concert performances at
conferences, festivals and many local venues.
They also get to study and perform with a world-class jazz faculty,
enabling some of the best personal jazz instruction available in an affordable
private college environment.