Bachelor of Music in Performance Performance (Jazz)
Overview
What to expect
This four-year undergraduate jazz degree provides instruction in aural skills, harmony, jazz history, improvisation, rhythm, and a wide array of jazz, commercial, and global styles. Students acquire a deep understanding of Jazz, including harmony, melody, improvisation, and arranging. Small class sizes, a closely knit community, and ample opportunities for collaboration across years highlight the program. Jazz students become creative, entrepreneurial performers who respect and understand the traditions of music while embracing future directions.
Why it stands out
Students join a community of exceptional, mutually supportive peers taught by accomplished faculty and distinguished guest performers. Weekly gatherings of students, faculty, and guest players are essential to the program. These are complemented with inspirational masterclasses that the entire Jazz community is a part of. There are also ample opportunities for students to explore courses offered outside of the Jazz idiom, across various subdisciplines within Music.
Who it's for
Students seeking careers as freelance performers, and/or private studio or institutional teachers are well suited for this degree. The program is ideal for curious, motivated, collaborative, and versatile students who are are passionate about music, demonstrate potential for musical growth, and are willing to take advantage of the many opportunities that are available to them.
Outcomes
Opportunities for study
Students engage in private applied lessons, large and small ensembles, participate in masterclasses by resident and guest teachers offered through a Jazz lens, and benefit from a wide choice of electives. They acquire a thorough understanding of performance styles and literature. Small classes, courses balancing theoretical and practical instruction, and ongoing mentorship are highlights of the program. Students are also encouraged to explore the richness of musical experiences offered. Core program requirements are complemented with an incredible breadth of fields across music, which speaks not only to music as an interdisciplinary practice, but to its relevance in society today.
Paid professional work both on and off campus is facilitated through our Music Booking Office.
Opportunities after graduation
This program will train students to respond to the changing landscape in musical fields by preparing for a diverse set of career paths. Graduates typically pursue careers as solo, or ensemble players. Some build careers as artist-teachers or as leaders in arts organizations in which a broad musical background is an asset.
Postgraduate opportunities
Students qualify to apply for admission to graduate jazz performance programs. Students also pursue a wide range of other programs after graduation, depending on their interests. Graduates could apply to pursue further study within Music, or professional programs such as business, medicine and law.
Being at U of T Jazz has given me a vital look into the Toronto Jazz scene and allowed me to learn from some of Canada's most well-known Jazz musicians. The city, teachers - and most importantly, like-minded peers have taught me many lessons in music and life. My most impactful experiences have been the compositional/arranging lessons that have given me the freedom to make my musical ambitions a reality. The Faculty has always left its mark on me, and my experiences here still deeply inform me regarding who I want to be as a musician, leader, and person. As I look back on my time, I realize now that U of T Jazz has shown me how important it is to be unweaving in the advocacy for jazz music, which will always demand excellence of ourselves, teachers, and especially the institutions we attend.
– Joseph Funk
Bachelor of Music in Performance 2024 - Jazz Trumpet
Studying at U of T has given me the opportunity to pursue improvement in my areas of interest, while also introducing me to new musical paths and career options I had never considered before. This is in no small part due to the people I have met, both students and faculty, that have challenged me with diverse experiences and welcomed inclusivity and safety in which to explore new ideas. I have been given the chance to perform and work with many incredible musicians, both in the faculty and outside in the Toronto community, which has enabled me to learn and grow organically as a musician.
– Leah Reavie
Bachelor of Music in Performance 2025 - Jazz Saxophone
Students are required to study Improvisation for a minimum of two years in the program. These courses examine the artistic and technical aspects of improvised jazz performance; analysis of improvised solos and group performances, approaches to practicing, developmental techniques and exercises, and general performance skills are covered. Students have the option of focusing on in-depth training in improvisation in their upper years, or choosing other electives of their choice.
Music & Breadth Electives
All programs require the completion of a specific number of Music Electives and Breadth Electives. A Music Elective is any Faculty of Music course (excluding Basic Music Courses) that is not required for a specific program. A Breadth Elective is a course offered by the Faculty of Arts & Science; however, up to one full credit of designated Music courses can be counted towards this requirement. Students have the opportunity to benefit from the diverse course offerings, that span different areas and traditions of music. Some examples include courses such as the the Business of Music, The 21st Century Creative Performer: An Interdisciplinary Inquiry to Performance and Performance Practice, Performance as a Freelance Artist in North America, Introduction to Computer Applications in Music to Japanese Taiko Drumming! Jazz performance students also have the option of completing their electives within the Jazz area, by choosing from a range of options - jazz composition, arranging (including advanced levels), improvisation, advanced ear training & harmony, and rhythm for improvisers.
Options within the Degree
Music: Certificates are offered in conjunction with a degree. Currently there are Certificates offered in Health Applications in Music, Music Technology, Popular Music Studies and Ethnomusicology, and Piano Pedagogy.
Currently there are Minor programs offered in History and Culture, Composition, and Historical Keyboard. (The Minor in Composition is not available to students in the Bachelor of Music in Composition.)
Arts & Science: Within the Breadth Electives, students have the option of completing requirements towards a Minor or a Major from the Faculty of Arts & Science, in a discipline that sparks their interest.
For further details on any of the above options, please refer to the Jazz Core Curriculum.
Studying music at the University of Toronto has been an incredible experience. The program offers a perfect balance between practicing foundational theory skills, as well as engaging in numerous performance opportunities around the city. The amazing professors, who are also working musicians, greatly helped me refine my skills and expand my creativity!
– Adriana Malandrino
Bachelor of Music in Performance 2025 - Jazz Voice
I deeply cherish my four years in U of T’s Jazz Performance program. My professors encouraged me to try new things, make mistakes, and push my limits; they challenged and supported me at every turn. I am so fortunate to have also been immersed in a community of talented peers who were serious about making music and whose energy and talent pushed me to rise to each occasion. My time in the Jazz Performance program primed me to start a career in jazz and take full advantage of significant professional opportunities in Canada and the USA.
– Jacob Chung
Bachelor of Music in Performance 2022 - Jazz Saxophone
