Jazz Studies, Minor

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Program Details

Location
Akron Campus
Level
undergraduate
Degree/Program Type
minor
Format
In-person
Course Info
Curriculum Guide
College
Buchtel College of Arts & Sciences (BCAS)
School/Department
School of Performing Arts

Program Contact

Theron Brown

Assistant Professor of Practice

330-972-7590 Send an Email

Overview

The Jazz Studies Minor is designed to enhance your primary music degree with focused training in jazz performance, improvisation, and history. You’ll take applied lessons, perform in jazz ensembles, and explore the music industry—building skills that expand your versatility as a musician and performer. 

Admissions Requirements

To be accepted as a music major, both freshmen and transfer students must successfully complete an audition on their major applied instrument, complete the Undergraduate Placement Examination in Music Theory, and be evaluated in keyboard skills.  

Click here for audition information.

Career Outcomes

This minor adds depth to your career as a performer, composer, or educator by broadening your experience with jazz. It also opens opportunities in jazz ensemble leadership, community performance, and graduate jazz studies. 

Let UA Bring Out the Music in You

The University of Akron has a wide variety of opportunities to pursue a career in music. Come let us help you find the music inside of you.

A Learning Experience Like No Other

The University of Akron Jazz Studies Program strives to bring creative improvised music into the social and cultural fabric of Northeast Ohio by fostering collaboration, education, and performance that connect with and inspire the community.

A trombone player looks on as a saxophone player solos
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UA JazzWeek

Each year, UA faculty and student ensembles collaborate with touring musicians like Sean Jones, Joshua Redman, and Sharel Cassity during a week-long jazz festival in downtown Akron.

Check out JazzWeek 25 on The Lowdown
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Specialized Technology and Instruments

Learn and perform in dedicated music studios, a tech-equipped lab, 3,000-seat E.J. Thomas Hall, and the intimate Guzzetta Recital Hall, where our Steinway Spirio, one of the world’s most advanced pianos, lets students perform, record, and playback with stunning precision.

Spirio Concert Piano at UA
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Performance Opportunities

From jazz combos to full orchestras, our ensembles give you the stage time to grow as a musician.

School of Performing Arts Ensembles
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Real-World Experience

Perform, compose, and collaborate beyond the classroom through masterclasses, recitals, productions, and public performances.

School of Performing Arts Calendar