Undergraduate Jazz Pedagogy: Investigating Student and Recent Graduate Perceptions

Abstract: Since the introduction of four-year jazz programs into American higher education, two distinct pedagogical strategies—chord-scale theory and transcription—have achieved widespread adoption. While contemporary research has examined curricular content and structures incorporating these approaches, less attention has been devoted to student-centered research investigating the environmental factors affecting the frequency, nature, and significance of learning taking place as the result of such curricula. This project thus seeks to identify what students perceive to be the most significant environmental factors affecting their development as jazz musicians. Data was collected through a qualitative survey followed by semi-structured interviews administered to undergraduate jazz majors. Students demonstrated varying attitudes toward jazz pedagogy depending on three sets of factors: external, the behaviors and practices of notable jazz artists and educators; interpersonal, related to the relationships between peers, faculty, and the institution; and intrapersonal, the intrinsic interests, motivations, and aesthetics held by the individual student. The dynamic interplay between these factors greatly affected student perceptions of the viability and relevance of chord-scale theory and transcription to their own development. This paper explores the ramifications of the findings above and proposes strategies aimed at enhancing the educational journey within postsecondary settings in jazz education. By understanding the environmental factors that influence learning, educators can craft a more seamless and supportive passage into professional musicianship.