Jazz Studies Minor
Coordinator: Lecturer Whittaker
The Elon University Minor in Jazz Studies is multi-faceted, with each of its parts complementing and enhancing the whole concentration.
The Jazz Studies program:
- Offers courses that focus on the key stylistic ingredients of “America’s Classical Music,” including its lifeblood, Improvisation; its inspiration, Jazz History; its skill set and knowledge base, Theory, Ear-Training, and Arranging; and its performance practice and repertoire, Private Lessons, Combos, and Big Band. The above instruction creates an environment whereby life-long habits for active listening, natural inquisitiveness, and individual and group expression are developed; and future professional performers, outstanding teachers, and on-going consumers and creative participants are inspired.
- Commits to community outreach that simultaneously supports students’ experiential learning by presenting numerous public events on- and off-campus, at schools, and at local, regional, national, and international venues and festivals. This outreach also includes maintaining on-campus an annual Jazz Festival for visiting middle and high school students that showcases and creates interaction with nationally and internationally known jazz artists and jazz educators.
- Provides resources, role models, and leadership for the area community. As jazz artists, performers, and teachers, its faculty serve as jazz education consultants, clinicians, featured soloists, composers, and recording artists.
Minor Requirements
Required courses: 16 sh
Students in the Fundamentals of Music (MUS 1300), Materials of Music sequence (MUS 1310, MUS 1320) and Aural Skills sequence (MUS 1315, MUS 1325) must earn a C- or better to progress through the next course level.
In addition, each jazz studies minor must complete the following:
(a) one medium of applied music instruction 4 sh
(b) ensemble from MUS 1040, MUS 1041 or MUS 1052 4 sh
Total Credit Hours: 24