Program Overview

Jazz Studies Program

The Jazz Studies program at DePaul University offers a comprehensive education in jazz music, including courses in jazz ensemble, jazz chamber ensemble, jazz improvisation, jazz composition, and jazz history.

Undergraduate Courses

• JZZ 1: Jazz Ensemble - Study, rehearsal, and performance of jazz literature with focus on music for large jazz ensembles.
• JZZ 2: Jazz Chamber Ensemble - Study, rehearsal, and performance of literature for jazz chamber groups.
• JZZ 200: Jazz Ensemble - Study, rehearsal, and performance of jazz literature with focus on music for large jazz ensembles.
• JZZ 201: Jazz Chamber Ensemble - Study, rehearsal, and performance of literature for jazz chamber groups.
• JZZ 202: Group Jazz Piano I - Group Jazz Piano is a three-course sequence that builds upon the coursework found in Group Piano I, II, and II.
• JZZ 203: Group Jazz Piano II - Continuation of Group Jazz Piano I.
• JZZ 204: Group Jazz Piano III - Final course in the Group Jazz Piano sequence.
• JZZ 205: Jazz Ear Training I - Jazz Ear Training is a three-course sequence that builds upon the coursework found in Aural Training I, II, and II.
• JZZ 206: Jazz Ear Training II - Continuation of Jazz Ear Training I.
• JZZ 207: Jazz Ear Training III - Final course in the Jazz Ear Training sequence.
• JZZ 215: Jazz Junior Recital - A full 45-minute, public recital performance of solo and/or chamber repertoire.
• JZZ 300: Essentials of Jazz I - Basic and advanced chord constructions in written and keyboard applications.
• JZZ 301: Essentials of Jazz II - Harmonizing melodies by the use of advanced harmonies and techniques of modern chord substitutions.
• JZZ 302: Essentials of Jazz III - Improvisation with particular emphasis on the blues arranging and accompanying techniques.
• JZZ 303: Jazz History and Style - An intensive study of the periods of jazz, major performers and composers, trends, influences, stylistic features, and related materials.
• JZZ 304: Jazz Arranging and Composition I - Arranging and orchestration techniques for the small jazz ensemble.
• JZZ 305: Jazz Arranging and Composition II - Arranging and orchestration techniques for the large jazz ensemble.
• JZZ 306: Jazz Arranging and Composition III - Jazz composition techniques with a special emphasis on the leadsheet.
• JZZ 308: Jazz Improvisation I - Techniques of jazz improvisation with an emphasis on basic chord construction and melodic line development.
• JZZ 309: Jazz Improvisation II - Continuation of Jazz Improvisation I.
• JZZ 310: Jazz Improvisation III - Final course in the Jazz Improvisation sequence.
• JZZ 314: Jazz Pedagogy - A study of the methods of teaching jazz improvisation arranging, composition, conducting, and rhythm section techniques.
• JZZ 315: Jazz Senior Recital - A full 60-minute, public recital performance of solo and/or chamber repertoire.
• JZZ 316: Applied Jazz Composition - Private instruction exploring advanced techniques and methods of jazz composition and arranging.
• JZZ 317: Applied Jazz Improvisation - Applied instruction in jazz style and improvisation.
• JZZ 318: Jazz Guitar - Advanced individual instruction in jazz guitar.
• JZZ 319: Jazz Percussion - Advanced individual instruction in jazz percussion.
• JZZ 320: Jazz Piano - Advanced individual instruction in jazz piano.
• JZZ 321: Jazz Saxophone - Advanced individual instruction in jazz saxophone.
• JZZ 322: Jazz String Bass - Advanced individual instruction in jazz string bass.
• JZZ 323: Jazz Trombone - Advanced individual instruction in jazz trombone.
• JZZ 324: Jazz Trumpet - Advanced individual instruction in jazz trumpet.
• JZZ 325: Jazz Rhythm Section Techniques - Information and performance techniques associated with instruments typically orchestrated to form a jazz rhythm section.
• JZZ 326: Jazz Voice - Advanced individual instruction in jazz voice.
• JZZ 330: Advanced Jazz Improvisation I - Development of proficiency in advanced jazz improvisational concepts.
• JZZ 331: Advanced Jazz Improvisation II - Continuation of Advanced Jazz Improvisation I.
• JZZ 335: Jazz History I - Historical investigation of jazz from before the turn of the 20th century through roughly 1945.
• JZZ 336: Jazz History II - Continuation of Jazz History I, covering topics from 1940 to the present.
• JZZ 360: Topics in Jazz Studies - In-depth investigation of a topic in jazz studies.
• JZZ 398: Independent Study - An in-depth study of a musicianship topic under the supervision of a faculty member.

Graduate Courses

• JZZ 400: Jazz Ensemble - Study, rehearsal, and performance of jazz literature with focus on music for large jazz ensembles.
• JZZ 401: Jazz Chamber Ensemble - Study, rehearsal, and performance of literature for jazz chamber groups.
• JZZ 402: Advanced Jazz Composition I - Composition of works for jazz chamber groups and big bands.
• JZZ 403: Advanced Jazz Arranging and Orchestration - Discovery, analysis, and implementation of advanced arranging, orchestrational, and compositional techniques for the large jazz ensemble.
• JZZ 404: Advanced Jazz Composition II - Advanced topics in jazz composition.
• JZZ 405: Jazz History - Graduate-level study of jazz history and the styles which contributed to the evolution of jazz.
• JZZ 406: Jazz Style and Analysis - Theoretical and aural understanding of the process of jazz improvisation.
• JZZ 407: Jazz Graduate Recital - A full 60-minute, public recital performance of solo and/or chamber repertoire.
• JZZ 408: Jazz Ensemble - Study, rehearsal, and performance of jazz literature with focus on music for large jazz ensembles.
• JZZ 409: Applied Jazz Composition - Private instruction exploring advanced techniques and methods of jazz composition and arranging.
• JZZ 410: Jazz Composition Final Project - Completion of a 7-10 minute original composition for standard jazz ensemble instrumentation.
• JZZ 411: Jazz Pedagogy - A study of the methods of teaching jazz improvisation arranging, composition, conducting, and rhythm section techniques.
• JZZ 412: Applied Jazz Improvisation - Applied instruction in jazz style and improvisation.
• JZZ 413: Jazz Guitar - Advanced individual instruction in jazz guitar at the graduate level.
• JZZ 414: Jazz Percussion - Advanced individual instruction in jazz percussion at the graduate level.
• JZZ 415: Jazz Piano - Advanced individual instruction in jazz piano at the graduate level.
• JZZ 416: Jazz Saxophone - Advanced individual instruction in jazz saxophone at the graduate level.
• JZZ 417: Jazz String Bass - Advanced individual instruction in jazz string bass at the graduate level.
• JZZ 418: Jazz Trombone - Advanced individual instruction in jazz trombone at the graduate level.
• JZZ 419: Jazz Trumpet - Advanced individual instruction in jazz trumpet at the graduate level.
• JZZ 420: Jazz Voice - Advanced individual instruction in jazz voice at the graduate level.
• JZZ 425: Jazz Rhythm Section Techniques - Information and performance techniques associated with instruments typically orchestrated to form a jazz rhythm section.
• JZZ 430: Advanced Jazz Improvisation I - Development of proficiency in advanced jazz improvisational concepts.
• JZZ 431: Advanced Jazz Improvisation II - Continuation of Advanced Jazz Improvisation I.
• JZZ 450: Jazz Chamber Ensemble - Study, rehearsal, and performance of literature for jazz chamber groups.
• JZZ 460: Topics in Jazz Studies - In-depth investigation of a topic in jazz studies.
• JZZ 498: Independent Study - An in-depth study of a musicianship topic under the supervision of a faculty member.