Associate of Arts with a concentration in Jazz Studies

The Associate of Arts in Music with a concentration in Jazz Studies is based on the Ohio Guaranteed Transfer Pathway in Music and existing articulation agreements with private music schools.  It is recommended for students interested in Jazz Studies planning to start at Tri-C and transfer to a four-year institution to major in Music or other music-related fields.

The Music program at Tri-C connects students with top-notch faculty and working professional musicians who can help them achieve their creative goals and grow as musician.

There are a variety of music-related careers in commercial, performance, education, music therapy, and music business settings. Some of the many potential careers in the Music include: music production, recording, composition, performance, education, arts management, concert management, live music and sound production, music therapy, music media, and many more!

Admissions Requirements

• High School Diploma/GED
• Placement into MUS-1600 Traditional Theory Ithrough appropriate score on Music Theory Placement Test offered through the Music Department. Students who do not achieve the appropriate score on the Music Theory Placement Test will be required to complete MUS-1200 Music Reading Skills and MUS-1210 Introduction to Music Theory with a grade of "C" or higher prior to starting this program.
• Placement into MUS-1611 Ear Training I through appropriate score on Music Theory Placement Test offered through the Music Department. Students who do not achieve the appropriate score on the Music Theory Placement Test will be required to complete MUS-1221 Basic Ear Training with a grade of "C" or higher prior to enrolling in this course.
• Highly recommend experience performing Jazz or Contemporary Music.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Identify and demonstrate the interpretation of musical materials including harmonic, melodic, rhythmic, and basic formal procedures.)
2. Identify and demonstrate melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic implications of triads and quadrads in chromaticism.
3. Identify and diagram forms and compositional techniques used in the Classical, Jazz, and Contemporary music.
4. Demonstrate dictation by aurally perceiving standard rhythmic and melodic patterns, with harmonic implications, including secondary chord relationships and translating these into written notation.
5. Demonstrate dictation by aurally perceiving intricate melodic patterns in all major keys, minor keys, modes, pentatonic, and whole tone scales, including those containing chromaticism and modulations, and translating them into notation.
6. Demonstrate dictation by aurally perceiving rhythmic patterns containing simple and compound standard meters, syncopation, borrowed rhythms, subdivisions, and polyrhythms, and translate them into notation.
7. Perform selected melodies and melodic passages in major keys, minor keys, and modes by sight-singing, using solfege syllables, note names, and numeric scale degrees.
8. Perform melodies and scales in all major keys, minor keys, and modes, with correct interpretation of rhythms and meter and all borrowed and standard expressions of the beat.
9. Perform individual musical lines from two, three, and four-part textures both individually and while the other voices are playing.
10. Sight-read elementary piano materials using proper chord and fingering positions.
11. Perform solo and ensemble literature for elementary-level piano students with notation and rhythmic accuracy.
12. Transpose elementary-level pieces into related or close-positioned voicings and hand position.
13. Improvise simple pieces in a homophonic structure in pop, rock, jazz, and classical styles.
14. Perform all major scales, minor scales, and arpeggios two octaves.
15. Apply aspects of music technology to composing, performing, recording, and practicing.

Suggested Semester Sequence

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MUS-1250 Class Keyboard I and MUS-1260 Class Keyboard II together will be accepted in place of MUS-1301 Applied Piano Minor I, MUS-1302 Applied Piano Minor II, MUS-2301 Applied Piano Minor III, and MUS-2302 Applied Piano Minor IV (required by Berklee College of Music).  Please see a counselor to determine course selection based on desired transfer institution.

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Applied Music Lesson courses are not guaranteed to transfer to Berkelee College of Music; however, students must complete these courses in order to be prepared to audition and be accepted at Berkelee College of Music.

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PSY-2110 Educational Psychology highly recommended for students planning to major in Music Education.

Recommended Civic Responsibility Electives

Students should select at least one designated  designated Civic Responsibility course to fulfill their  Arts & Humanities, Social & Behavioral Science, or Ohio Transfer 36 elective requirements from the below list.  View full list of courses that can be selected to fulfill Arts and Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Natural Sciences requirements here. 

MATH-1140, MATH-1141, MATH-1200, MATH-1270, and MATH-1280 can no longer count towards fulfilling the college-level mathematics requirement.  These courses were re-classified as developmental mathematics by the state of Ohio in 2016.  Tri-C established a 5-year transitioning window for students who had completed these courses prior to 2016 to apply them towards meeting graduation requirements, which expired in Summer 2021. It is highly recommended to see a counselor to determine the appropriate math required for your current major.