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 Jazz Studies Department

Wendell Logan, Professor of African American Music; Chair
Gary Bartz, Visiting Professor of Jazz Saxophone
Marcus Belgrave, Visiting Professor of Jazz Trumpet
Kenneth Davis, Teacher of Jazz Ensembles and Jazz Trumpet
Peter Dominguez, Professor of Jazz Studies and Double Bass
Robin Eubanks, Assistant Professor of Jazz Trombone
Robert Ferrazza, Assistant Professor of Jazz Guitar
Billy Hart, Assistant Professor of Jazz Percussion
Daniel Wall, Visiting Teacher of Jazz Piano


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) - - - - 2 2 - -
2 JAZZ 380 (Special Topics in Jazz Studies)4 - - - - - 2 - -
3 TECH 100 (Intro to Music Technology I) - - - - 3 - - -
12 MUTH 130 or 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
Second Major Committee5 - X - - - - - -

Private Applied Study Committee Exams:
First Major Committee5 - X - - - - - -
Second Major Committee5 - - - X - - - -

Performance Requirement:
Junior Recital6 - - - - (X) (X) - -
Senior Recital6 - - - - - - (X) (X)

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 Ensemble-Large 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 Ensemble-Small 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.

Music Theory I-IV and Aural Skills I-IV must be taken concurrently, e.g., a student will register for Music Theory I (MUTH 130 or 131) 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 course work 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 RHET 111-119 series.


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) - - - - 3 - - -
12 MUTH 130 or 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
32 Principal Private Study (Jazz Composition) - X - - - - - -

Private Study Committee Exams:
First Major Committee - X - - - - - -
Second Major Committee - - - X - - - -

Composition Requirement:
Junior Recital2 - - - - (X) (X) - -
Senior Recital2 - - - - - - (X) (X)

1 May be taken for two or three 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.

Music Theory I-IV and Aural Skills I-IV must be taken concurrently, e.g., a student will register for Music Theory I (MUTH 130 or 131) 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 course work 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.

Freshman/Sophomore 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. All pieces must be performed publicly.

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 RHET 111-119 series.
    
   
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