Jazz & Improvisation

Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation

How do you like your jazz?
Hot? Contemporary? Crazy? Smooth?

It's all here in the mix, with dozens of club-style sets each season, usually three different acts each night. These student ensembles are the club headliners of tomorrow—coached by leading jazz and improvising artists from the New England Conservatory faculty.

And in April, NEC's jazz musicians visit 11 Boston Public Library branches in a joint celebration of National Poetry Month and the Smithsonian's Jazz Appreciation Month.

1969 NEC starts first fully accredited jazz studies program at a music conservatory.

1972 NEC Contemporary Improvisation program is a home for new sounds.

2012–2013 season

2013-05-18 NEC Commencement Concert
2013-05-26 Sarah Takagi and friends: "Un-Leashed"

2013–2014 season

For updates, bookmark this page, signup for NEC e-mail news, follow us at twitter.com/nec_concerts, or become a fan of facebook.com/necmusic, facebook.com/necjazz, and facebook.com/necmusic.contemporary.improvisation.

2013-09-03 Back-to-School Contemporary Improvisation Concert
2013-10-17 NEC Jazz Orchestra + Schaphorst
2013-10-27 Frank Carlberg
2013-10-30 Fred Hersch recital and other residency events
2013-11-03 Preminger's Laura
2013-11-11 In the Mix
2013-11-12 In the Mix
2013-11-13 In the Mix
2013-11-14 In the Mix
2013-11-18 In the Mix
2013-11-19 In the Mix
2013-11-20 In the Mix
2013-11-21 Music of Dave Holland and other residency events
2013-11-25 NEC Jazz Composers Ensemble
2013-11-26 In the Mix
2013-12-02 In the Mix
2013-12-03 Jazz Composers' Workshop Orchestra + Carlberg
2013-12-04 Music of Luciana Souza and other residency events
2013-12-09 In the Mix
2013-12-10 In the Mix
2013-12-11 NEC Youth Jazz Orchestra + Schaphorst
2013-12-12 NEC Jazz Orchestra + Schaphorst
2014-01-27 Jazz Faculty Spotlight Concert
2014-02-02 Tanya Kalmanovitch
2014-02-18 CI student projects concert
2014-02-27 NEC Jazz Orchestra + Schaphorst
2014-03-13 Music of Dave Holland and other residency events
2014-03-13 Beethoven the Improviser at Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
2014-03-26 In the Mix
2014-03-27 In the Mix
2014-03-27 Robert Labaree
2014-03-31 In the Mix
2014-04-01 Honors Ensembles: Jazz and CI
2014-04-02 In the Mix
2014-04-03 Jazz: The Next Generation
2014-04-07 In the Mix
2014-04-08 In the Mix
2014-04-09 In the Mix
2014-04-10 NEC Jazz Composers Ensemble
2013-04-14 Music of John Zorn and other residency events
2014-04-15 In the Mix
2014-04-16 In the Mix
2014-04-17 NEC Jazz Orchestra + Schaphorst
2014-04-21 In the Mix
2014-04-22 In the Mix
2014-04-28 In the Mix
2014-04-29 NEC Jazz Composers' Workshop Orchestra + Carlberg
2014-04-30 In the Mix
2014-05-17 Commencement Concert
2014-05-20 NEC Youth Jazz Orchestra + Schaphorst

Past performances

2012-09-04 Back-to-School Contemporary Improvisation Concert
2012-09-06 Marty Ehrlich lecture
2012-09-13 Music of Marty Ehrlich concert
2012-09-14 Mark Dresser masterclass
2012-09-19 Fred Hersch Trio masterclass
2012-09-20 Gary Carner on Pepper Adams
2012-09-25 Satoko Fujii masterclass
2012-09-25 Dave Holland masterclass
2012-09-27 Dave Holland + Jason Moran masterclass
2012-09-27 Music of Dave Holland
2012-10-07 Fiddling Workshop and Family Barn Dance
2012-10-08 Everyone Can Improvise workshop
2012-10-09 Schuller conducts Ellington
2012-10-11 Dominique Eade
2012-10-15 Music of Ken Schaphorst
2012-10-17 Bert Seager's Kombucha + Carla Kihlstedt's Rabbit Rabbit at Regattabar
2012-10-18 Bob Brookmeyer's Legacy panel
2012-10-18 Tribute to Bob Brookmeyer
2012-10-22 Linda Chase + Jane Hirshfield
2012-10-26 Everyone Can Improvise workshop
2012-10-26 CI Alumni Showcase
2012-10-27 Ran Blake: A Life in Music
2012-10-27 World Barn Dance
2012-10-31 Singer/Songwriter + Vocal Showcase at Scullers
2012-11-01 Free Music Night at Lily Pad
2012-11-07 Sail Away Ladies at Club Passim
2012-11-13 In the Mix
2012-11-14 In the Mix
2012-11-15 In the Mix
2012-11-19 Jazz Jam Session
2012-11-20 In the Mix
2012-11-26 In the Mix
2012-11-27 Mehter, Zildjian, and the American Big Band
2012-11-27 In the Mix
2012-11-28 In the Mix
2012-11-29 Rebirth of the Third Stream
2012-12-03 In the Mix
2012-12-04 NEC Jazz Composers' Workshop Orchestra + Carlberg
2012-12-06 In the Mix
2012-12-10 In the Mix
2012-12-11 In the Mix
2012-12-12 In the Mix
2012-12-12 NEC Youth Jazz Orchestra + Schaphorst
2012-12-14 Conceptual Holiday
2013-01-17 Josh Sinton masterclass with Ideal Bread
2013-01-28 Jazz and CI Faculty Spotlight
2013-01-28 Continuing Education Jazz Ensembles
2013-01-29 Brando Noir
2013-01-31 Continuing Education Jazz Ensembles
2013-02-03 Hui Weng on guzheng at Boston Children's Museum
2013-02-06 Anthony Coleman + The Damaged Quartet: Seven Words
2013-02-11 Jason Moran masterclass
2013-02-14 In the Mix ensembles coached by Jason Moran
2013-02-19 From Third Stream to Contemporary Improvisation panel
2013-02-19 From Third Stream to Contemporary Improvisation concert
2013-02-22 Identities Are Changeable: Tales from the Diaspora
2013-02-27 Dominique Eade + Ran Blake at Scullers
2013-03-03 Eternal Echoes: Songs and Dances for the Soul at Symphony Hall
2013-03-10 Tanya Kalmanovitch, Anthony Coleman, Ted Reichman
2013-03-11 Dave Holland composition lecture
2013-03-12 Dave Holland: ensembles masterclass
2013-03-12 Fred Hersch
2013-03-14 Music of Dave Holland
2013-03-16 Soo & Maria at Gore Place
2013-03-17 Kalmanovitch, Coleman, Reichman at Cornelia Street Café
2013-03-20 Today's Jewish Music at Symphony Space
2013-03-21 CI Alumni Improvisation Festival at Barbès
2013-03-23 CI All-Star Concert at Symphony Space
2013-04-01 In the Mix
2013-04-01 Luke Marantz at Brighton Branch Library
2013-04-02 In the Mix
2013-04-03 Alec Harper & Andrew Schiller at North End Branch Library
2013-04-04 Soo & Maria at Boston Public Library
2013-04-08 Patrick Kuehn & Robin Lohrey at Adams Street Branch Library
2013-04-08 In the Mix
2013-04-08 Monk/Webern
2013-04-09 In the Mix
2013-04-10 In the Mix
2013-04-10 Jack Finucane & Luke Marantz at Egleston Square Branch Library
2013-04-11 Shane Simpson, Simon Willson, Robin Baytas at JP Branch Library
2013-04-11 Jazz: The Next Generation
2013-04-14 Jeremy Barnett
2013-04-16 Luke Marantz, Henry Fraser, Connor Baker at Mattapan Branch Library
2013-04-16 In the Mix
2013-04-17 In the Mix
2013-04-18 Randy Weston public talk
2013-04-18 Alec Harper & Andrew Schiller at Uphams Corner Branch Library
2013-04-18 Randy Weston: African Rhythms
2013-04-22 In the Mix
2013-04-22 Steven Gordon at Charlestown Branch Library
2013-04-23 NEC Jazz Composers' Workshop Orchestra + Carlberg
2013-04-25 Steven Gordon at South Boston Branch Library
2013-04-25 In the Mix
2013-04-28 Music Heals at Church of the Covenant
2013-04-28 Full Salon + Bethe Jazz + Wild Card Honors Ensembles
2013-04-29 Rebecca Sullivan Ensemble at Connolly Branch Library
2013-04-29 In the Mix
2013-04-30 In the Mix
2013-04-30 Zorn: Cobra
2013-05-01 In the Mix
2013-05-02 Darcy James Argue workshop
2013-05-12 Rachel Panitch + Eric McDonald at Arnold Arboretum
2013-05-15 NEC Youth Jazz Orchestra + Schaphorst

Study jazz at NEC

• Explore College jazz studies at NEC.
• Explore College Contemporary Improvisation studies at NEC.
• Explore Preparatory jazz studies at NEC.
• Explore Continuing Education jazz and Contemporary Improvisation studies at NEC, including Certificate program. Play side by side with professional musicians!

More on jazz and NEC

NEC jazz musicians have received many awards and honors, including Grammy Awards, MacArthur Fellowships, the Rome Prize, and being named NEA Jazz Masters.

Jazz conversation with NEC faculty Ken Schaphorst, David Zoffer, Hankus Netsky.

2013-05-16