Study and Play Jazz
Our jazz courses within performance degree programs will equip you to thrive in a variety of professional roles in today's ever-changing world of commercial music, of which jazz is an integral part. Jazz experiences can be integrated into both our Bachelor and Master of Music Performance degree programs.
You will work with faculty who are known internationally as jazz performers, composers, and arrangers. Study with them by day, and watch them perform in Pittsburgh's flourishing jazz scene by night. You will have opportunities to perform with them in combos and big bands all over the region. We even have a Hire a Musician program that connects you with local employers and venues, so you can take your performance expertise beyond the classroom and into the field, allowing you to make money while sharpening your entrepreneurial skills.
Our jazz offerings are directly integrated with the Institute of Entertainment, Music, and Media Arts (IEMMA), a unique interdisciplinary program that connects you directly to the entertainment industry at large. Through IEMMA, you will become an adept studio musician by participating in sessions and seminars with prominent recording engineers, producers, record label executives, and more.
Jazz Emphasis
At the Mary Pappert School of Music, you can study jazz at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. We will help you find the right path for your bigger goals.
Jazz for Undergraduates
You've got a love for jazz music. Our Bachelor of Music in Performance with an emphasis in jazz sets the stage for you to go anywhere.
Jazz for Graduates
You've laid the groundwork. Now, refine your skills with a Master of Music in Performance with an emphasis in jazz.
Meet the Jazz Faculty
Our GRAMMY Award-winning faculty are networked into the international music industry and know exactly what it takes to be successful in careers from the concert hall to the recording studio, sound stage, stadiums, and outdoor music festivals.
Jazz Faculty
Ronald Bickel
Adjunct Professor of Jazz Piano
J.D. Chaisson
Adjunct Professor of Jazz Trumpet
Kelley Krepin DeFade
Adjunct Professor of Jazz Voice
Max Leake
Adjunct Professor of Jazz Piano
Jeffrey Mangone
Adjunct Professor of Double Bass/Bass Guitar
Eric Susoeff
Adjunct Professor of Jazz Guitar
Paul Thompson
Adjunct Professor of Jazz Bass
Thomas Wendt
Adjunct Professor of Jazz Percussion
Upcoming Jazz Events
Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Workshop, and Jazz Vocal Ensemble
Mike Tomaro, Jeff Bush, and Kelley Krepin DeFade, directors
Admission
$10 Suggested Donation (at the door)
Music of the 70s Horn Bands
Mike Tomaro and Kelley Krepin DeFade, directors
Admission
$10 Suggested Donation (at the door)
Jazz Chamber Groups and Jazz Guitar Ensemble
Jeff Bush and Eric Susoeff, directors
Admission
$10 Suggested Donation (at the door)
Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Workshop, and Jazz Vocal Ensemble
Mike Tomaro, Jeff Bush, and Kelley Krepin DeFade, directors
Admission
$10 Suggested Donation (at the door)
Alumni Perspective
The Mary Pappert School of Music jazz faculty is exceptional at providing real-world training through their combined years of knowledge of many different types of jazz music and ample experience playing with major and storied artists from the jazz world. With their guidance, I have found myself thoroughly prepared for any type of musical work that I have come across in my career!