The Jazz Studies program at Illinois State University is designed to help dedicated students develop their abilities as jazz performers, composers, and arrangers. The curriculum includes private instruction, ensembles, and numerous classes on topics such as improvisation, theory, arranging, and history. Students must adopt a focused, deliberate approach to developing creativity and originality while drawing extensively on well established jazz traditions.
Jazz Studies students will study privately with both classical and jazz faculty. It is important that jazz players have an excellent grounding in the fundamentals of their instrument in order to be successful jazz musicians. For this reason, traditional study is a very important component of the curriculum.