Jazz Studies Concentration
Swing. Hard bop. Fusion. Afro-Cuban. Whatever your style, Drake’s Jazz Studies Concentration will teach you what it takes to be a working musician in this dynamic field.
College of Arts & Sciences | On-Campus
Program Options
Whether you want to be a music teacher, a professional musician, an industry exec, or simply love music, Drake has a program for exploring your interests and achieving your dreams.
Jazz Studies Concentration
Jazz is incredibly diverse. You’ll become an equally diverse performer as you study jazz styles, history, improvisational techniques, arranging, and composition. You might even record and perform your own work in the studio.
Bachelor of Arts in Music
Theory, history, and technique all converge to give you a refined, analytical perspective for exploring classical periods, jazz music, and post-tonal styles. You’ll take the same core curriculum as other music students while having the flexibility to add a second major.
Bachelor of Music, Applied Music
With tracks in Winds & Percussion, Strings, Piano, and Voice, this program prepares students for careers as solo/ensemble performers or college-level instructors. In addition to studio lessons and numerous opportunities to get on stage, you’ll take courses in pedagogy, literature, theory, history, and performance practice.
Bachelor of Music With Elective Studies in Business
Combine musical training with the Zimpleman College of Business’s minor in Business with a concentration in marketing and retailing. In addition to participating in an ensemble, seniors have the option to perform an hour-long recital.
Bachelor of Music Education
Music Education majors are fluent both in teaching and performance. While instructional methods and classroom preparation will account for the greatest share of your course load, you’ll also study applied music, music theory, and music history.
Meet the Faculty
Drake’s music faculty are professionals in every sense: they’re skilled teachers who also perform regularly on campus, in the community, and around the world.
Outside the Classroom
As a musician, you want to make music—and as a student in Drake’s Jazz Studies Concentration, you’ll have constant opportunities to share your talent with audiences.
Lessons From Jazz Artists
Get inside the mind of professional musicians when you sit by their side in a masterclass. Recent campus visitors include the Grammy Award-winning Maria Schneider Orchestra and Ryan Truesdell of the Gil Evans Project.
Jazz Combo
Drake’s Jazz program offers two full bands and several combos, which perform regularly. Our Jazz Ensemble I tours regionally and has won its division at the UW-Eau Claire Jazz Festival eight times.
Recording Studio Opportunities
See how professional studio artists record in Jazz Ensemble I, which records regularly in our Turner Jazz Center studio every semester. You’ll have access to the latest hardware and learn the same techniques pros use.
Careers & Skills
Graduates of the Jazz Studies Concentration gain marketable skills to become professional jazz and studio musicians. In addition to lessons and courses on history, theory, and composition, you’ll have the opportunity on campus to perform as a soloist, in a band or orchestra, and in large and small jazz ensembles.
Opportunities
- Teaching
- Music business administration
- Perform as soloists or in an ensemble
Skills
- Arrange and compose for jazz and studio ensembles
- Be prepared for almost any musical arena
- Develop critical thinking and communication skills through the Drake Curriculum
Salary Growth and Outlook
Median salary for music directors and composers in 2024. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Take the Next Step
Learn what it takes to be a professional musician across styles and settings in Drake’s Jazz Studies Concentration.
For further information or if you have questions, please contact Prof. Andrew Classen.
