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  1. New England Conservatory
  2. Preparatory School
  3. Explore
  4. Jazz

Explore Jazz

 

A Message from Jazz Department Chair, David Zoffer:

The NEC Prep Jazz program is one of the most comprehensive and largest pre-college jazz programs of its kind in the world. We welcome students from eight – eighteen years old at any level of experience, for any instrument and voice.

We not only prepare students at the highest level to enter into the most prestigious jazz colleges and competitions (Grammy™ Band, YoungArts, DownBeat Awards, Districts, All-States, etc.), but also introduce beginners to jazz with energetic, supportive instruction by world renowned faculty—many of whom are also teaching at the college level in the New England area.

Our program takes a global approach to jazz, integrating music from the United States and around the world, including bebop, funk, Bossa Nova, samba, Afro-Cuban, fusion, post-bop, free jazz, blues, swing, rock, New Orleans, as well as contemporary styles.

Students are exposed to every aspect of the music—history, analysis, composition, songwriting, and performance.

Ready to sign up? Click the button below to go to the Jazz Placement Page or contact prepjazz@necmusic.edu for questions about the Jazz program and getting a placement meeting for the program.

Sign Up for a Placement Meeting
What's it like to study Jazz at NEC Prep?
  • While it's not required, jazz students often participate on multiple instruments, subjects of study and voice. 
     
  • Students from this program are often not only interested in jazz performance, but also composing, songwriting, and arranging.
     
  • Jazz students often participate in the Prep Jazz Certificate program, which not only leads up to preparation for college auditions and pre-screen recordings, but also prepares students to be band leaders giving their own recitals.
     
  • Students can take as many jazz courses as they are interested in, and every student gets a custom-built schedule to meet their scheduling needs. Only the sixty minute jazz classroom courses are held at fixed times on Saturday 10AM-3PM. Small jazz ensembles run from 8AM-5PM on Saturdays for sixty minutes on the hour.
     
  • 60, 45, or 30 minute private jazz lessons occur in person on campus on Saturday, but they are also available on weekdays for some teachers, with teacher permission at the teacher’s home (if it is convenient for the students and teachers), or for Walnut Hill School for the Arts students on the Walnut Hill campus in Natick, MA.
     
  • Students do have the option of studying online using SoundJack (see a prep group jamming with it), as featured in DownBeat magazine, for students within 500 miles. Zoom can be used for students farther away than 500 miles. Jazz classroom courses can be taken in person on campus or online.
  • Jazz students often take lessons on their primary instrument that they play in ensembles through NEC. Jazz students that are interested can add secondary private jazz lesson study in any instrument, voice or subject (like composition or improvisation) at NEC and still be eligible for the Prep Jazz certificate and the discount rate on each course and ensemble with a minimum of 30 half hour lessons (although most students choose 60 or 45 minute lessons.)
     
  • Jazz Masterclasses for NEC Prep have included luminaries such as Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci, Brian Blade, Harry Connick, Jr., Paul Bley, John Medeski, David Gilmore, Anthony Coleman, John McNeil, Ben Lapidus, Harvie S., and Jeremy Udden.
     
  • We are proud of our NEC Prep Jazz alumni, many of whom have gone on to explore music in a wide range of genres. A small sampling of our alumni includes:
    • saxophonist, singer, composer/songwriter Grace Kelly 
    • saxophonist/composer Jeremy Udden
    • trumpet virtuoso Peter Evans
    • keyboardist and songwriter Jake Sherman
    • producer and keyboardist Sam Kassirer
    • big band composer and pianist Steven Feifke
    • drummer Eric Doob
    • multi-instrumentalist and engineer Steve Brickman
    • guitarist Mary Halvorson
    • cellist Melody Giron
    • violinist Andrei Matorin
  • NEC Prep Jazz faculty often help students prepare for college audition recordings and accompany them to produce high-quality, professionally recorded audition materials:

A Prep jazz ensemble rehearses
Ready to join Prep?
Sign me up!

Links

Steps for Jazz Placement & Registration
Jazz Placement Form - For New and Returning Students
Jazz Ensemble Information
Jazz Classroom Course Information
Jazz Private Lesson Information
Jazz Certificate Program
Jazz Faculty

A female jazz singer sings into a microphone.
Jazz Private Lessons
A Prep jazz ensemble rehearses
Jazz Classes
3 student jazz musicians performing in an ensemble
Small Jazz Ensembles
Jazz Certificate
Drummer with Prep Youth Jazz Orchestra
Youth Jazz Orchestra
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