Art forms evolve through the interplay of two contrasting, yet complementary forces--the ongoing quest for new possibilities, and the continual inquiry into past forms and practices. When this present-past interplay is centered at the heart of artistic training, students not only gain optimal mastery of skills and concepts within their field, they also experience their field as a vehicle for a broader, cross-disciplinary exploration. The Department of Jazz & Improvisation at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance has harnessed these principles and emerged as a leading new educational voice. Combining the finest in traditional jazz training with systematic study of jazz's eclectic offshoots, along with innovative, interdisciplinary options which are at the cutting edge of pedagogical thought, the department offers students a variety of educational pathways few schools can match.

Faculty

Ellen H. Rowe (Chair, Undergraduate Jazz Studies Coordinator, piano, improvisation, jazz ensemble) Geri Allen (piano) Michael Gould (drums and percussion) Robert Hurst (bass) Edward W. Sarath (flugelhorn, creativity and consciousness studies) Martha Travers (creativity & consciousness studies) Donald Walden (saxophone, improvisation) Dennis Wilson (trombone, arranging)

Associated Faculty -

Andrew Bishop Marion Hayden (bass) Mark Kirschenmann (Creative Arts Orchestra) William Lucas (trumpet)