Hello!
Jazz has a long and storied history at WSU. Wichita has historically been a popular
stop on concert tours for many of the famous jazz musicians. Our partnership with
the Wichita Jazz Festival, the longest-running educational jazz festival in the nation,
continues today and brings our jazz students into contact with some of the best and
brightest of the jazz world.
Jazz Studies alumni have gone on to do great things. The ranks of great players to
come through WSU include NYC drummer Matt Wilson (student of J.C. Combs), current
Assistant Professor of Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation at the University of Michigan
Andrew Bishop, current WSU Professor of Jazz Piano John Goering and Professor of Jazz
Trumpet Scott Strecker, vocalist with the Air Force Band Blue Steel Julie Bradley,
and LA-based bassist Edward Livingston.
Interested undergraduate students should check out our future students page or click here to find out more about auditioning for the School of Music. Those interested in Graduate
work should see our graduate information page for more or email David MacDonald, our Graduate Coordinator, to get started.
Jazz Studies Auditions
The WSU School of Music and the Jazz Studies area requires an audition on the major
instrument for all first year, transfer students and graduate students. The audition
determines acceptance into the School of Music. Your audition will be performed for
representative members of the music performance faculty. In the Jazz Studies area,
a live, on-campus audition is required for full acceptance and for scholarship consideration.
If you are a prospective undergraduate student and you live prohibitively far from WSU, you may submit a recording for entrance
and consideration for scholarships. All prospective graduate students must complete a live, on-campus audition.
While the WSU Jazz Studies Department is a competitive area in the School of Music,
we recognize that musicians develop at different rates and we encourage all hardworking
students to apply. We recommend that you contact a member of the WSU Jazz Faculty
directly to schedule a lesson in order to receive feedback prior to taking an audition.
Undergraduate Auditions
Students should be prepared to perform three tunes of varying styles (swing, Latin,
ballad, waltz, etc.) with a backing track. Students will be asked to play the melody
and improvise over the chord changes. Memorization of materials is encouraged but
not required. Tunes should be selected from the standard jazz repertoire, the likes
of which can be found in leadsheet form in resources such as The Real Book (6th edition, Hal Leonard, multiple volumes) and the Jamey Aebersold Play-A-Long series. The following list offers a handful of suggested tunes:
- Autumn Leaves
- Blue Bossa
- Blue Monk
- Take the A Train
- Doxy
- In a Sentimental Mood
- Impressions
- Mr. P.C.
Rhythm Instruments
Rhythm instruments should also be prepared to demonstrate comping skills (piano, guitar),
or walking (bass). Drumset auditionees will be asked to demonstrate a variety of styles including but not limited
to: swing, up-tempo, Latin styles, rock/funk, brushes, waltz, trading fours.
Graduate Auditions
Students should be prepared to perform three tunes of varying styles (swing, Latin,
ballad, waltz, etc.) with a backing track . Students will be asked to play the melody
and improvise over the chord changes. All materials must be memorized, and tune selection should reflect a graduate-level
understanding of jazz repertoire. The following list offers a handful of suggested tunes:
- Confirmation
- Alone Together
- Ceora
- Stella by Starlight
- Darn that Dream
- Stablemates
- It Could Happen to You
- Wave
Rhythm Instruments
Rhythm instruments should also be prepared to demonstrate comping skills (piano, guitar),
or walking (bass). Drumset auditionees will be asked to demonstrate a variety of styles including but not limited
to: swing, up-tempo, Latin styles, rock/funk, brushes, waltz, trading fours.
Jazz Degree and Scholarship Information
The degree in Jazz Studies at WSU currently consists of the Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies. We also offer a MM in Music Performance in applied instrumental performance to jazz students who wish to pursue graduate
studies at WSU.
The Jazz area also has a Graduate Teaching Assistantship available. This person assists the Director of Jazz Studies and is an integral part
of the WSU Jazz Invitational, part of the Wichita Jazz Festival. To inquire about
graduate study, please contact William Flynn, the Director of Jazz Studies.
Jazz Scholarships are available to any and all undergraduate students based on academic
performance while in high school. We are also pleased to be able to offer two scholarships
to jazz studies students:
The Bill Thomson Scholarship is awarded to especially qualified undergraduate students in jazz studies. The Glen and Celia Goering Music Scholarship is awarded to an outstanding incoming freshman in jazz studies.
Please contact William Flynn, the Director of Jazz Studies, to inquire about these awards.
Past recipients of the Bill Thomson Scholarship:
2009 - Thomas Gordon
2010 - Ashlee Baysinger
2011 - Christopher Patton, Immanuel Scott
2012 - Austin Johanning
2013 - Austin Johanning
2014 - Seth Carrithers, Micah White
2015 - Micah White
2016 - Micah White
2017 - Micah White
2018 - Micah White
Jazz Alumni
Check out some of our Alumni! If you're an alumnus, please update us!
Jazz Arts Ensembles
Jazz Arts I
Rehearses - Monday/Wednesday 12:30 - 1:50 pm and Friday 12:30 - 1:20 pm
Director: Jim Pisano
Jazz Arts II
Rehearses - Tuesday/Thursday 5:30 - 6:45 pm
Director: William Flynn and Miguel Santana Morales
Prerequisites: For Jazz Studies Majors, you must be enrolled for private lessons for acceptance
into Jazz Arts Ensemble I. For non-majors, you must be enrolled in lessons or Improvisation
I or II.
Description: The Jazz Arts Ensemble is a traditional 19-piece big band jazz ensemble selected
each year through an audition process. WSU's Jazz Arts Ensemble is part of the Jazz
Studies curriculum, and the ensemble puts on two concerts each semester. The Jazz
Arts Ensemble may also perform at public and private functions throughout the Wichita
community, and for WSU special events. Jazz Arts has consistently been selected to
perform at state, regional and national conferences, and festivals and has performed
with notable guest artists. The repertoire of the ensemble consists of high-level
arrangements of varying styles, including swing, Latin, rock, and pop charts, as well
as new compositions. The Jazz Arts Ensemble welcome the opportunity to work with arrangers
and composers on new projects.
Guest Artists
- Dennis Mackrel
- Frank Mantooth
- Ed Shaugnessy
- Matt Wilson
- Willie Thomas
- Jiggs Whigham
- Mundell Lowe
- John and Jeff Clayton
- Louis Bellson
- Mike Steinel
- Bobby Shew
- Charlie Rouse
- The Four Freshman
- Richie Cole
Jazz Combos
Coordinator: William Flynn
Meeting Times: To be arranged by individual combos and coordinator.
Prerequisites: None, although private lesson study with WSU faculty and/or improvisation study is
highly recommended.
Description: The Jazz Combo program at Wichita State University is an alternative and supplement
to the large ensembles of the Jazz Studies curriculum. All Jazz Combos perform two
concerts each semester. Students who are enrolled in 411M/711M are required to have
one or two additional performances outside of school each semester (respectively).
Juries for Jazz Studies majors will take place at the end of each semester through
a performance with their combos. Combos are required to perform a minimum of five
different tunes per semester, and are strongly encouraged to create original arrangements
and compose original tunes. The coordinator will give guidance and assistance when
necessary/appropriate.
Guitar Ensemble
Director: William Flynn
Meeting Times: Monday/Wednesday, 11:30 am-12:20 pm
Prerequisites: Must be enrolled in private guitar lessons and must successfully complete a sight-reading
audition.
Description: Wichita State University's Guitar Ensemble is a chamber jazz ensemble consisting
of three to five guitarists that perform original arrangements of both classic and
modern jazz repertoire. The ensemble requires high degrees of literacy and instrument
awareness, as the group's members navigate arrangements written in standard musical
notation. The ensemble is aimed toward familiarizing guitarists with reading music
in an ensemble setting, and works to hone the students' skills in the ares of tone,
balance, blend, and sight-reading. The Guitar Ensemble is also aimed toward giving
the students yet another outlet to perform, as the ensemble performs in a formal concert
setting at least twice per semester (in conjunction with Jazz Arts I & II and Jazz
Combos). This ensemble is an integral part of a guitarist's musical education at WSU,
and instills within them many musical skills they will be required to possess as working
professionals.
Hire WSU Jazz
Every semester, the Jazz Studies area in the WSU School of Music fields many requests
from around the Wichita area. Below is a list of our most common requests. If you
don't see what you need, there are other combinations of instrumental and vocal combinations
available. For more information, please write to William Flynn.
If you'd like to hire WSU Jazz for your event, please fill out this form.
Common Group Configurations:
Jazz Trio
- Most common configuration requested: Piano, bass and drums
- Popular for a wide variety of events in event spaces that may or may not have a piano
available
- In event spaces without a piano, ensembles typically can provide their own high-quality
electronic keyboard
- Ensemble can be amplified or acoustic (without amplification)
Jazz Quartet
- Most common configuration requested: piano, bass, drums and saxophone (or guitar)
- Popular for a wide variety of events in event spaces that may or may not have a piano
available
- In event spaces without a piano, ensembles typically can provide their own high-quality
electronic keyboard
- Ensemble can be amplified or acoustic (without amplification)
Jazz Duo
- Most common configuration requested: piano and bass
- Popular for a wide variety of events in smaller, more intimate event spaces
- Event spaces may or may not have a piano available
- Ensembles typically can provide their own high-quality electronic keyboard
- Ensemble can be amplified or acoustic (without amplification)
Jazz Vocalist with Ensemble
- Most common configuration requested: female vocalist with piano, bass and drums
- Popular for gala events and weddings
- Vocalist and ensemble generally require amplification
Jazz Big Band
- Best for large gatherings in bigger rooms, and receptions where dancing is a focus
- Need larger spaces, and stage size must be large enough to Accommodate up to 17 players
with rhythm section
- In event spaces without a piano, ensembles typically can provide their own high-quality
electronic keyboard
- Ensemble can be amplified or acoustic (without amplification), depending on size of
gathering. WSU can provide amplification for soloists in many cases
Jazz Pianist
- Popular for relaxed receptions in event spaces that may or may not have a piano available
- Performers typically can provide their own high-quality electronic keyboard, if needed
- Repertoire ranges from jazz standards to popular music
