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Jazz Studies Department

In this Department

Catalog 

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Wendell Logan, Professor of African-American Music, Chair

Greg Bandy, Teacher of Jazz Drums

Neal Creque, Teacher of Jazz Piano

Kenneth Davis, Teacher of Jazz Trumpet and Jazz Ensembles

Robin Eubanks, Assistant Professor of Jazz Trombone

Peter Dominguez, Associate Professor of Jazz Studies and Bass

Bobby Ferrazza, Teacher of Jazz Guitar

Donald Walden, Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies and Saxophone

 

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Major Study: Jazz Performance

Course Requirements Recommended Course

Distribution

Hrs. Fresh Soph Junior Senior
32 Principal Private Study1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 JAZZ 803 (Jazz Ensemble-Small Group)2 - - - 1 1 - 1 1
4 JAZZ 700 (Jazz Ensemble-Large Group)2 - - 1 - 1 - 1 1
6 JAZZ 150, 151 (Jazz Improvisation) - - 3 3 - - - -
6 JAZZ 250, 251 (Advanced Jazz Improv) - - - - - - 3 3
2 JAZZ 110 (Jazz Keyboard)3 - - - 2 - - - -
6 JAZZ 120, 121 (Jazz Theory) 3 3 - - - - - -
4 JAZZ 130, 131 (Basic Arrang/Comp Tech)
or JAZZ 160, 161 (Jazz Arrang/Comp Tech) - - - - 2 2 - -
2 JAZZ 380 (Special Topics in Jazz Studies)4 - - - - - 2 - -
3 TECH 100 (Intro to Music Technology I)
or TECH 150 (Studio Skills for Composers) - - - - 3 - - -
12 MUTH 131, 132, 231, 232 (Music Theory) 3 3 3 3 - - - -
4 MUTH 101, 102, 201, 202 (Aural Skills) 1 1 1 1 - - - -
4 MHST 101 (Intro to the History
and Literature of Music) - - 4 - - - - -
6 MHST 290, 291 (Intro to
African-American Music) 3 3 - - - - - -
24 Liberal Arts electives - - - 3 3 6 6 6
5 Free electives 1 1 - - 1 2 - -
124 15 15 16 17 15 16 15 15

 

 

Non-Course Requirements

Jazz Aural Skills Test - ˆ - - - - - -
Private Applied Study Committee Exams:
First Major Committee5 - ˆ - - - - - -
Second Major Committee5 - - - ˆ - - - -
Performance Requirement:
Junior Recital6 - - - - (ˆ) (ˆ) - -
Senior Recital6 - - - - - - (ˆ) (ˆ)

 

1 During the first two years of Principal Private Applied Study, Jazz Studies majors study concurrently with the classical and jazz private study faculty member for each instrument except flute and saxophone. The four credit hours for Principal Private Applied Study are divided equally (two and two) between the two instructors. The third and fourth years of Principal Private Applied Study are with a specialist in the jazz idiom. Flute majors study concurrently with the flute and saxophone instructors for the first two years and with the saxophone instructor for the third and fourth years. Saxophone majors study with the saxophone instructor for all four years.

2 Jazz performance majors whose principal applied instrument is piano, bass, drums, or guitar are required to audition for JAZZ 700 (Jazz EnsembleLarge Group) each semester they intend to take an ensemble and to take a minimum of two credits in the Large Ensemble. The remaining six credits of the ensemble requirement may be fulfilled in JAZZ 803 (Jazz EnsembleSmall Group).

3 For non-keyboard majors. Keyboard majors are required to take an additional two credits of free electives.

4 May be taken for two or three credits.

5 The First Major Committee must be successfully completed in order to advance to the next level of instruction. The Second Major Committee must be satisfactorily completed by the end of the semester prior to the last two semesters of residence.

6 Students must perform a recital hearing for two faculty members a minimum of two weeks before the scheduled junior or senior recital. Based on this hearing, a student may be approved to play the proposed recital, or may be asked to postpone the recital.

Jazz Forum is a weekly convocation that features guest artists, historians, producers, writers and faculty members. Attendance is required of all jazz majors.

Jazz Aural Skills Requirement. The Jazz Aural Skills examination will be given twice each year (September and February), and will consist of aural recognition of seventh-chord qualities, scales and modes (traditional ones as well as those which are more idiomatic to improvised music), chord progressions, basic formal patterns (song forms, the blues, etc.), and rhythmic and melodic dictation. Students who do not pass this exam will be required to take Jazz Aural Skills, JAZZ 100.

Music Theory and Aural Skills Requirement. Students are expected to register for Music Theory and Aural Skills courses each semester until they have completed the requirements. Part or all of these requirements may be waived by placement examination when the student enters Oberlin. If the minimum passing scores are not achieved for placement in Music Theory I (MUTH 131) and Aural Skills I (MUTH 101), a student must first take Introduction to Music Theory (MUTH 120) and/or Introduction to Aural Skills (MUTH 100). If a student exempts Aural Skills I, II, III, or IV, then Aural Skills V (MUTH 301) becomes the terminal course in the sequence.

Music Theory I-IV and Aural Skills I-IV must be taken concurrently, e.g., a student will register for Music Theory I and Aural Skills I in the same semester. Under certain circumstances, with the permission of the appropriate division director and the Music Theory division director, students will be allowed to take Aural Skills IV and Music Theory IV separately. A student's aural skills requirement must be completed before the senior recital can be scheduled. Double-degree students will resolve any conflicts with these expectations in consultation with their advisors.

Electives. A student should select electives based on the following: a minimum of 76 hours of Conservatory courses is required; a minimum of 24 hours of liberal arts is required.

Expository Writing Proficiency. Students with an SAT verbal score below 580 or an ACT score below 24, or a TOEFL score below 600 must complete one course chosen from the EXWR 111-119 series.

 

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Major Study: Jazz Composition

Course Requirements Recommended Course

Distribution

Hrs. Fresh Soph Junior Senior
32 Principal Private Study (Jazz Composition) 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 JAZZ 803 (Jazz Ensemble-Small Group) - - - - 1 1 1 1
3 JAZZ 700 (Jazz Ensemble-Large Group) - - - 1 1 1 - -
6 JAZZ 150, 151 (Jazz Improvisation) - - 3 3 - - - -
2 JAZZ 110 (Jazz Keyboard) - - - 2 - - - -
6 JAZZ 120, 121 (Jazz Theory) 3 3 - - - - - -
2 JAZZ 380 (Special Topics in Jazz Studies)1 - - - - - - 2 -
3 TECH 100 (Intro to Music Technology I)
or TECH 150 (Studio Skills for Composers) - - - - 3 - - - -
12 MUTH 131, 132, 231, 232 (Music Theory) 3 3 3 3 - - - -
4 MUTH 101, 102, 201, 202 (Aural Skills) 1 1 1 1 - - - -
4 MHST 101 (Intro to the History
and Literature of Music) - - 4 - - - - -
6 MHST 290, 291 (Intro to African-American
Music) 3 3 - - - - - -
6 Music electives - - - - - 3 - 3
24 Liberal Arts electives - - - - 6 6 6 6
10 Free electives 1 1 - 1 1 1 3 2
124 15 15 15 15 16 16 16 16

Non-Course Requirements

Jazz Aural Skills Test - ˆ - - - - - -
Private Study Committee Exams:
First Major Committee - ˆ - - - - - -
Second Major Committee - - - ˆ - - - -
Composition Requirement:
Junior Recital2 - - - - (ˆ) (ˆ) - -
Senior Recital2 - - - - - - (ˆ) (ˆ)

 

1 May be taken for 2 or 3 hours.

2 Students must perform a recital hearing for two faculty members a minimum of two weeks before the scheduled junior or senior recital. Based on this hearing, a student may be approved to play the proposed recital, or may be asked to postpone the recital.

Jazz Forum is a weekly convocation that features guest artists, historians, producers, writers and faculty members. Attendance is required of all jazz majors.

Jazz Aural Skills Requirement. The Jazz Aural Skills examination will be given twice each year (September and February), and will consist of aural recognition of seventh-chord qualities, scales and modes (traditional ones as well as those which are more idiomatic to improvised music), chord progressions, basic formal patterns (song forms, the blues, etc.), and rhythmic and melodic dictation. Students who do not pass this exam will be required to take Jazz Aural Skills, JAZZ 100.

Music Theory and Aural Skills Requirement. Students are expected to register for Music Theory and Aural Skills courses each semester until they have completed the requirements. Part or all of these requirements may be waived by placement examination when the student enters Oberlin. If the minimum passing scores are not achieved for placement in Music Theory I (MUTH 131) and Aural Skills I (MUTH 101), a student must first take Introduction to Music Theory (MUTH 120) and/or Introduction to Aural Skills (MUTH 100). If a student exempts Aural Skills I, II, III, or IV, then Aural Skills V (MUTH 301) becomes the terminal course in the sequence.

Music Theory I-IV and Aural Skills I-IV must be taken concurrently, e.g., a student will register for Music Theory I and Aural Skills I in the same semester. Under certain circumstances, with the permission of the appropriate division director and the Music Theory division director, students will be allowed to take Aural Skills IV and Music Theory IV separately. A student's aural skills requirement must be completed before the senior recital can be scheduled. Double-degree students will resolve any conflicts with these expectations in consultation with their advisors.

Electives. A student should select electives based on the following: a minimum of 76 hours of Conservatory courses is required; a minimum of 24 hours of liberal arts is required.

Committee Examinations

Composition: The examining committee for the First and Second Major Committee Examinations is composed of the Jazz Studies faculty.

Performance: The examining committee for the First and Second Major Committee Examinations is composed of the principal private study teachers and the Jazz Studies faculty. The content of the Committee Examination will be determined by the appropriate Applied and Jazz Studies faculty members.

Sophomore/Junior Composition Requirement. This consists of four pieces, three of which must be original. The fourth may be an arrangement of a pre-existing piece for large jazz ensemble. At least one of the pieces must be performed publicly.

Senior Recital. The culmination of the student's work for the major will be a public presentation of original works for various-sized jazz ensembles.

Expository Writing Proficiency. Students with an SAT verbal score below 580 or an ACT score below 24, or a TOEFL score below 600 must complete one course chosen from the EXWR 111-119 series.

 

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