Ideally situated near the jazz capital of Chicago, Northwestern's Jazz Studies program provides the ideal environment for jazz musicians.

The jazz studies program offers the Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees. Performance opportunities include the Jazz Orchestra and small ensembles, as well as additional opportunities in the greater Chicago area’s thriving jazz scene. Faculty are current performers with some of the world’s leading jazz ensembles. Students receive private lessons with jazz faculty and access to coursework that includes improvisation, advanced techniques, and jazz theory and history.

In addition to excellent instruction at the Bienen School of Music, students have access to a wide array of challenging coursework in other fields—something that can be found only at a major research university. Graduates of the jazz studies program can be found in a variety of important performance and university settings throughout the United States and abroad.

The Jazz Studies Program is supported in part by a grant from The Owen L. Coon Foundation.

Jazz Performing Ensembles

Jazz Ensemble
Jazz Orchestra
Jazz Small Ensembles