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Vocal Jazz student at UW-Stevens Point.

Department of Music Jazz Studies Degree

Major

LEARN TO GIVE YOUR MUSIC SOUL

Jazz studies students train in music research and music development. Students develop fundamental research skills through transcription and performance of seminal and contemporary jazz works. The application of these principles to the creation of new music, informed by life experiences and aesthetic values, is crucial to students’ development as artists. Composition and improvisation are at the heart of the jazz studies curriculum.

WHY STUDY JAZZ AT UW-STEVENS POINT?

Students in the jazz studies program learn to work in teams and to have an entrepreneurial mindset. Graduates become outstanding

Alumni Map

​Whether you are a recent graduate or a longtime alum, you can make an important difference for today’s students in the College of Fine Arts and Communication. By volunteering to share your story, your network, your career advice, and your successes, you can help guide students through the start of their professional lives as they discover their purpose.

You are a vital part of our Pointer family and we look forward to hearing from you!

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WHAT TO EXPECT

Students frequently learn from guest artists, who teach master classes during their visits to campus. Artists such as Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center and Otis Murphy offer expert instruction as well as insight about the life of a professional musician. When not in class, students can participate in

  • Jazz Repertory Concerts
  • Jazz Composer’s Concerts
  • UW-Stevens Point Jazz Festival
  • Jazz Jam Sessions at the Dreyfus University Center
  • Student Jazz Recitals

There are many opportunites to perfrom outside in the community including:

  • The Riverfront Jazz Festival
  • Summer Ensembles
  • Summer Music Venues

MEET YOUR FACULTY AND STAFF

The low student-to-faculty ratio in the Department of Music provides our students with opportunities for personal attention.
Brent Turney

Brent Turney

  • Director of Jazz Studies
  • Professor – Trumpet
College of Fine Arts & Communication, Department of Music, School of Performing Arts
715-346-3240
Andrew Slembarski

Andrew Slembarski

  • Administrative Specialist – Music
College of Fine Arts & Communication, Department of Music, School of Performing Arts
715-346-3107
Lori Yonash

Lori Yonash

  • University Services Associate 1 – School of Performing Arts and School of Design & Communication
College of Fine Arts & Communication, Department of Music, School of Design & Communication, School of Performing Arts
715-346-3107

National Association of Schools of Music

Founded in 1924, the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) is an organization of schools, conservatories, colleges, and universities with approximately 637 accredited institutional members. It establishes national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees and other credentials for music and music-related disciplines and provides assistance to institutions and individuals engaged in artistic, scholarly, educational, and other music-related endeavors.

The College of Fine Arts and Communication at UW-Stevens Point is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.

National Association of Schools of Music