Training
•The minor combines four semesters of ensemble participation with two semesters of upper-level private lessons, giving non-majors recurring rehearsal, performance and individual coaching rather than a single survey course
•Jazz director George Caldwell leads the program’s large ensemble and combo activity, connecting applied study to improvisation, ensemble style and repertory
Performance & Productions
•Students can perform in the Jazz Ensemble big band and in four to six smaller combos organized each semester; each ensemble presents a public performance before the term ends
•Combo work emphasizes interaction and improvisational responsibility, while the big band develops section playing, blend and large-ensemble repertoire
Facilities
•Baird Recital Hall offers an intimate 150-seat room with 5.1 sound, and Lippes Concert Hall adds a larger stage within a department presenting more than 150 free events each year
