The Bachelor of Music, Jazz Studies concentration provides students with rigorous, in-depth preparation in the areas of jazz performance, improvisation, arranging and composition and history. Students completing this degree program often seek careers as a professional jazz musician, commercial musician, or go on to graduate study. Students in the program demonstrate advanced levels of achievement and musicianship through performance, including a junior recital and a senior project. Admission to the degree program is through audition.

Core Courses

• Improvisation - Four levels concentrating on voice-leading, chord-scale applications and advanced rhythmic techniques for improvising on standards,
• modal and free-form jazz compositions.
• Arranging - Techniques for small-group and large ensemble arranging.
• Composition - Writing in a wide variety of styles.
• Jazz Piano - Techniques for solo and ensemble piano performance – required of all majors.
• Jazz History - Study of jazz from its origins to the present, and its relationship to social and cultural movements.
• Private Instruction in the area of jazz on the student’s main instrument/voice.

Director of Jazz Studies
Dr. Douglas Leibinger
leibinge@sonoma.edu(link sends e-mail)

Core Classes

Jazz Performance Majors complete a thorough battery of core classes to complete their degree:

• Improvisation - Four levels concentrating on voice-leading, chord-scale applications and advanced rhythmic techniques for improvising on standards, modal and free-form jazz compositions.

• Arranging - Techniques for small-group and large ensemble arranging.

• Composition - Writing in a wide variety of styles.

• Jazz Piano - Techniques for solo and ensemble piano performance – required of all majors.

• Jazz History - Study of jazz from its origins to the present, and its relationship to social and cultural movements.