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.