BACHELOR OF MUSIC - JAZZ STUDIES - Introduction
The mission of the CSU Northridge Jazz Studies program is
"To guide each student toward artistic and practical success as a contemporary professional jazz musician."
It achieves this mission by offering a progressive and innovative course curriculum spanning improvisation, theory, composition, performance, and jazz history, together with a commitment to developing strong mentoring relationships between students and faculty.
Working with top professionals from the very beginning of their college experience, students in the Jazz Studies Program learn not only technique and an expansive repertoire but also the history and significance of jazz as a cultural force in this country and around the world. Due in part to its Los Angeles location - the heart of the nation’s music and recording industry - the CSUN Jazz Studies Program is fortunate to be able to offer its students regular concerts, clinics, and seminars with some of the world's greatest figures in jazz today.
The Jazz Studies Program offers a range of ensembles that challenge students to explore music beyond the boundary of the conventional “assignments” and continually develop sophisticated musical appreciation and expression. These ensembles include the Jazz “A” Big Band, which holds a record for taking first Place Award at the Pacific Coast Jazz Festival each of the 13 times it competed between 1972– 1996 and which continues to be recognized as one of the finest collegiate jazz bands in the nation. Its recordings can be heard on jazz radio stations around the world and the band has traveled extensively, including tours to Beijing and Shanghai in 1999 and Europe in 2003 and 2007.
The Jazz Studies Program offers a number of other top- caliber ensembles including the award-winning Studio Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Lab Big Band, Latin Jazz Ensemble, vocal jazz ensemble “Epicenter,” and an exciting new avant- garde group called the NuVeau Art Ensemble, featuring “cutting edge” compositions and creative ensemble configurations.
CSUN’s jazz ensembles and its individual members consistently take top awards at jazz festivals all over the world, and in 2006 took first place at the Reno Jazz Festival in both the four-year collegiate Big Band and Vocal Jazz Divisions.
Finally, we wish to gratefully acknowlege and thank the following sponsors for their continued and generous support:
- THE HERB ALPERT FOUNDATION
- THE WELLS FARGO FOUNDATION
- TOCA PERCUSSION
- REMO INC.
- LINDA ANDERSON
Contact us
Matt Harris, Director
818-677-3169
e-mail: matt.harris@csun.edu
Gary Pratt, Director
818-677-2743
e-mail: gary.pratt@csun.edu