This handbook exists only in this electronic form. This is the most current version of the handbook. For questions about its contents, contact jazz@unt.edu.
The Jazz Studies Handbook is an official publication that serves as a guide for all students participating in the Jazz Studies Program.
Information concerning the College of Music and degree/course descriptions may be found in the College of Music Student Handbook and the University of North Texas catalogs.
Student Handbook > For All Students
1.01 Important addresses
UNT College of Music
1155 Union Circle #311367
Denton, TX 76203-5017
Tel: (940) 565-2791
music.unt.edu
UNT Division of Jazz Studies
1155 Union Circle #305040
Denton TX 76203-5017
phone: (940) 565-3743
fax: (940) 369-7227
jazz.unt.edu
my.unt.edu (student information portal)
College of Music Calendar and Room Use Request Form
Top
1.02 Jazz Studies Degrees
1. Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies, Specialization: Instrumental Performance.
2. Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies, Specialization: Jazz Arranging.
3. Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies, Specialization: Vocal Performance.
4. Master of Music in Jazz Studies.
5. DMA in Performance, local concentration in Jazz Studies
Note: Jazz Studies is also a related area in the Master of Music degree, in both Composition and Performance; the Master of Music Education degree; and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree.
For information on Texas Public School Teaching Certification, consult the UNT College of Education website.
Top
1.03 Courses in Jazz Studies
his information is current as of March 2010. For the most current information, see the undergraduate or graduate catalog. Note that courses with prefixes other than MUJS are required for the degrees.
Undergraduate
1131. Jazz Performance Fundamentals I. 1 hour. (0;2) Study of the basics of jazz performance. Topics covered include instrumental technique, style, interpretation and improvisation. Prerequisite(s): audition and/or consent of college.
1132. Jazz Performance Fundamentals II. 1 hour. (0;2) A continuation of Jazz Performance Fundamentals I. Prerequisite(s): MUJS 1131.
1150. Jazz Piano Master Class. 1 hour. (0;2) A continuation of Jazz Keyboard Fundamentals, including study of polychords, altered chords and quartal voicing. Prerequisite(s): MUJS 1371.
1360. Jazz Fundamentals. 2 hours. (2;0) Introduction to jazz harmony and scales. Drill in ear training and keyboard. Required for freshman majors in jazz studies. Prerequisite(s): MUTH 1400-1410 (may be taken concurrently) (non-music majors by consent of college).
1361. Jazz Aural Fundamentals. 1 hour. (0;2) Drill in ear-training of the melodic, harmonic and rhythmic materials that are idiomatic to jazz. Includes the singing of jazz chords and scales and the singing, dictation and transcription of jazz melodies, rhythms and chord progressions.
1370. Jazz Fundamentals. 2 hours. (2;0) Continuation of MUJS 1360. Prerequisite(s): MUJS 1360 and 1361 with grade of A or B.
1371. Jazz Keyboard Fundamentals. 1 hour. (0;2) Basic jazz keyboard skills. Keyboard realization of jazz harmony with typical idiomatic voicings. Prerequisite(s): MUJS 1360 with grade of A or B, or consent of college.
1470. Introduction to Jazz Recordings. 3 hours. (3;0) An introductory overview of key artists and recordings in the history of jazz, including their stylistic, historical and social context.
2360. Jazz Improvisation. 2 hours. (2;0) Materials and practices for improvising in the jazz idiom. Prerequisite(s): grades no lower than B in applied music concentration; MUJS 1132, 1370, 1371 and 1470 with grades of A or B; and entrance audition.
2370. Jazz Improvisation. 2 hours. (2;0) Continuation of MUJS 2360. Prerequisite(s): grades no lower than B in applied music concentration; MUJS 2360 with grade of A or B.
2900. Special Problems. 1–3 hours. Prerequisite(s): consent of college.
3120. Vocal Jazz Techniques. 2 hours. (2;0) A practical study of the basic vocal, interpretative, and microphone techniques for the performance of vocal jazz. Prerequisite(s): MUTH 1500, MUJS 1370, 1371 and 1470. May be repeated for credit, contingent on a minimum grade of B.
3131. Intermediate Jazz Guitar. 1 hour. (0;2) A study of the composition and melodic solo styles of major artists. Prerequisite(s): MUJS 1131 and 1132.
3132. Advanced Jazz Guitar. 1 hour. (0;2) A study of jazz guitar chord solos involving concepts of substitution and the reharmonization of melodies. Prerequisite(s): MUJS 3131.
3150. Advanced Jazz Piano Master Class. 1 hour. (0;2) Study of jazz piano style and performance practice.
3360. Advanced Jazz Improvisation. 2 hours. (2;0) Performances of improvised solos. Includes standards and original works. Improvisation by memory and reading chord symbols. Prerequisite(s): grades no lower than B in applied music concentration; MUJS 2370 with grade of A or B; Jazz Studies Proficiency Examination.
3370. Advanced Jazz Improvisation. 2 hours. (2;0) Continuation of MUJS 3360. Prerequisite(s): grades no lower than B in applied music concentration; MUJS 3360 with grade of A or B.
3470. Jazz Lecture Series. 1 hour. (1;0) Contemporary jazz composition, performances and presentations by nationally recognized composers, arrangers and performers. Open to majors in other fields by consent of college.
3610. Jazz Arranging. 3 hours. Jazz harmony, melody and rhythm applied to modern instrumentation; arrangements written and played. Prerequisite(s): MUJS 1370, 1371 and 1470 with grades of A or B, MUTH 1500 and 1510, or consent of college.
3620. Jazz Arranging. 3 hours. Continuation of MUJS 3610. Prerequisite(s): MUJS 3610 with grade of A or B.
4120. Vocal Jazz Styles. 2 hours. (1;1) Advanced vocal and recording techniques for the jazz studies major with a vocal concentration. Performing and recording with instrumental groups. Prerequisite(s): MUJS 3120 (four terms/semesters), and completion of vocal concentration requirements. Concurrent enrollment in MULB 1820, Jazz Singers, required. May be repeated for credit, contingent on a minimum grade of B.
4450. Radio and Television Music. 3 hours. Composition, orchestration and production of music for advertising and broadcast. Prerequisite(s): MUJS 3620 or consent of college.
4470. History of Jazz. 3 hours. A chronological survey of the major styles and artists of jazz, from African acculturation in the New World to the present. Prerequisite(s): MUJS 1470 with grade of C or higher.
4610. Advanced Jazz Arranging. 3 hours. (2;4) Analysis and composition of music for the modern jazz orchestra. Prerequisite(s): MUJS 3620 with grade of A or B, and passing grade on Jazz Studies Proficiency Examination. Corequisite(s): MULB 1808 or consent of department.
4620. Advanced Jazz Arranging. 3 hours. (2;4) Continuation of MUJS 4610. Prerequisite(s): MUJS 4610 with a grade of A or B.
4630. Vocal Jazz Arranging. 3 hours. Group and individual instruction in jazz harmony, rhythm and melody, applied to contemporary vocal ensemble. Arrangements written and performed. Prerequisite(s): MUJS 3610 with minimum grade of B. Concurrent enrollment in MUEN 2624, Jazz Singers, required.
4700. Jazz MIDI Performance Seminar. 3 hours. (2;1) The application of Musical Instrument Digital Interface technology to contemporary jazz composing, arranging and performance. Introduction to MIDI hardware and software. Multi-track programming, recording and editing. Preparation of professional quality project on tape with hard copy print-outs of score and parts for performance. Prerequisite(s): MUJS 2370, 3620; MUAG 1014; or equivalent.
4710. Advanced Jazz MIDI Techniques. 3 hours. (2;1) Continuation of MUJS 4700 with emphasis on notation software, sound editor and librarian software and digital sampling techniques. Preparation of a professional quality project involving the printing of a full score and individual parts. Prerequisite(s): MUJS 4700 or consent of college.
4900-4910. Special Problems. 1–3 hours each. Prerequisite(s): consent of college.
4951. Honors College Capstone Thesis. 3 hours. Major research project prepared by the student under the supervision of a faculty member and presented in standard thesis format. An oral defense is required of each student for successful completion of the thesis. Prerequisite(s): completion of at least 6 hours in honors courses; completion of at least 12 hours in the major department in which the thesis is prepared; approval of the department chair and the dean of the school or college in which the thesis is prepared; approval of the dean of the Honors College. May be substituted for HNRS 4000.
Graduate
New in 2010-2011: 5430. Graduate Review of Jazz History. 3 hours. Study of the standard narrative of jazz history and jazz repertoire. Meets with MUJS 4470.
5440. Introduction to Research in Jazz Studies. 3 hours. Bibliography, discography, interviewing; sociocultural aspects of research on jazz; scholarly writing; connections between jazz studies and musicology, ethnomusicology, and related disciplines. Prerequisite(s): MUJS 4470 or consent of college.
5450. Jazz Historiography. 3 hours. A survey of jazz research materials and methodology, and presentation of special topics in jazz history. Prerequisite(s): MUJS 4470 or consent of college.
5470. Conducting College Jazz Ensembles. 3 hours. Score study and rehearsal preparation; methods of conducting jazz ensembles at all levels; supervised conducting.
5480. Pedagogy of Jazz. 3 hours. Techniques, systems and materials. Prerequisite(s): MUJS 3360 and 3370, or consent of college.
5490. Advanced Jazz Improvisation. 3 hours. Advanced techniques and practices of jazz improvisation. Prerequisite(s): MUJS 3370 with grade of A or B, or equivalent.
5531. Jazz Piano. 2 hours. Applied study in jazz idiom; jazz improvisation. Prerequisite(s): consent of division.
5532. Jazz Saxophone. 2 hours. Applied study in jazz idiom; jazz improvisation. Prerequisite(s): consent of division.
5533. Jazz Voice. 2 hours. Applied study in jazz idiom; jazz improvisation. Prerequisite(s): consent of division.
5534. Jazz Composition. 2 hours. Applied study of jazz composition and arranging for small and large ensembles. Prerequisite(s): consent of division.
5535. Jazz Recital. 2 hours. For jazz studies MM students in performance track: public performance; in composition/arranging track: public performance of compositions and arrangements; in pedagogy track: public presentation of a pedagogy-related project. Prerequisite(s): consent of division.
5536. Jazz Trumpet. 2 hours. Applied study in jazz idiom; jazz improvisation. Prerequisite(s): consent of division.
5537. Jazz Trombone. 2 hours. Applied study in jazz idiom; jazz improvisation. Prerequisite(s): consent of division.
5538. Jazz Double Bass. 2 hours. Applied study in jazz idiom; jazz improvisation. Prerequisite(s): consent of division.
5539. Jazz Drumset. 2 hours. Applied study in jazz idiom; jazz improvisation. Prerequisite(s): consent of division.
5540. Radio TV Music. 3 hours. (4;2) Composition and production of music for broadcast and digital media. Prerequisite(s): MUJS 3610 or consent of division.
5760. Jazz Arranging. 3 hours. Individual instruction. An advanced practical study of arranging, focusing on music from jazz and other contemporary jazz-related styles. Prerequisite(s): MUJS 4620 or equivalent. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
5780. Jazz Styles and Analysis. 3 hours. The stylistic elements of the various eras of jazz history; theoretical analysis of significant musical qualities of influential musicians of the different periods of jazz.
5900-5910. Special Problems. 1–3 hours each.
1.04 Jazz Performing Ensembles
Lab Bands: 19-piece instrumental ensembles (1 through 9) - MULB 1808.500/5174.500
Jazz Guitar Labs; L 5 and Super 400 - MULB 1817/5174.517
Jazz Repertory Ensemble: historical focus - MULB 1818/5174.518
Zebras: contemporary jazz repertory ensemble - MULB 1819.500/5174.519
Jazz Singers: 16-20 member vocal/instrumental ensembles - MULB 1820.500,501/5174.520
U-Tubes: jazz trombone ensemble (does not fulfill a lab credit)
Latin Jazz Lab MULB 1821
Small Groups: 3- to 8-piece jazz combos - MUCM 3550.500/5550.500
Special ensembles formed to address specific styles of jazz
(For information on each group, see Performing Organizations, section 10.)
More information on ensembles
Top