Music Performance - Jazz Emphasis
Our unique jazz curriculum integrates foundational training in the classical tradition with private instruction and coursework in jazz idioms.
- We offer performance experiences in both large and small ensemble settings. These include Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Workshop, Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Guitar Ensemble, and Jazz Chamber Groups. Courses include improvisation, harmony, arranging, ear training, and history.
- The Institute of Entertainment, Music, and Media Arts (IEMMA) allows you to engage in real-world and online activities while connecting creatively with other students and building dynamic relationships with industry-leading professionals.
- Our students receive exposure and training that encompasses commercial music (pop, Latin, and other world music styles), and includes experiences in the recording studio using notation software and digital audio workstations to compose and arrange.
- Duquesne's close association with the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild and nearly a dozen area jazz clubs provides a variety of opportunities for students to perform with and learn from nationally-known visiting artists.
- Our graduates succeed.
Our Jazz Emphasis is designed to 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.
Audition Overview
Admission to the Mary Pappert School of Music also includes a formal audition. Learn more about the audition process & guidelines.
Program Type
Major
Degree
Master's
School
Academic Department
Performance (Music)
Duration
2-year
Required Credit Hours
30
Alumni Perspective
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
Students and faculty of the Mary Pappert School of Music participate in over 200 annual
concerts and recitals, held both on- and off-campus in a variety of venues. PNC Recital
Hall and the Dr. Thomas D. Pappert Center for Performance and Innovation are two of
the primary performances spaces in our building. In addition, some larger-scale events
are held in other University spaces, including the Charles J. Dougherty Ballroom in
the University's Power Center, the Student Union Ballroom, and the Chapel of the Holy
Spirit, to name a few. Dedicated in 2001, the PNC Recital Hall provides an intimate performance space for
faculty and student recitals, as well as small chamber group performances, and comfortably
seats an audience of 250. The stage is large enough to accommodate a small orchestra,
and the live acoustics make it ideal for chamber music and solo performance. The hall
is equipped with two Model D nine-foot Steinway concert grand pianos that are among
the finest in the Pittsburgh region, as well as a 2-manual harpsichord by Anderson
H. Dupree. A built-in audio/visual system enables technology students to present multimedia
performance projects complete with video projection and surround sound. Audience Perspective Stage Perspective PNC Recital Hall performances can be recorded in both audio and video from a dedicated
recording room backstage via a remote-controlled high definition PTZ camera, as well
as a pair of DPA Compact 4011 cardioid microphones and a spaced pair of DPA SMK4061
omnidirectional microphones suspended above the stage. The recital hall stage can
also be tied into the adjacent Recording Complex for more involved multi-track recording
sessions. Acoustics can be varied by retracting or deploying the heavy draperies surrounding
the stage, and the stage is fully equipped with several movable acoustic shell panels. Each year, many students and faculty utilize the PNC Recital Hall for recitals and
concerts. In addition, the room also doubles as a classroom/lecture space for larger
classes and guest artist master classes. A portable SMART board for high-definition,
interactive presentations is available for use in both the PNC Recital Hall and the
PNC Recital Hall lobby. The PNC Recital Hall Lobby is a multi-purpose space acoustically isolated from the
recital hall and is equipped for hosting receptions with an adjacent kitchen. Two
large-screen televisions and a sound system capable of simulcasting live events inside
the hall are also available. In addition, the lobby is routinely used as a classroom (movement classes, such as
Eurhythmics), making use of a concealed whiteboard and the aforementioned audio/visual
amenities. The Dr. Thomas D. Pappert Center for Performance and Innovation provides our students
and faculty with a technologically sophisticated and acoustically superb space. Designed
and built for the optimal sound experience, the Pappert Center incorporates visionary
thinking in acoustic engineering and is equipped with the latest audio/visual and
recording technologies. This resource inspires our students and faculty to achieve
the highest levels of creativity and artistry in their musical ventures. Presentations and performances can be captured digitally in both high definition video
and audio. These captures can be used for packaging media and streaming broadcasts
for internet, television, and radio. In addition to its versatility as a performance
and recording venue, the Pappert Center also serves as a rehearsal space for several
of our large ensembles, including the Duquesne Symphony Orchestra, Wind Symphony,
and Symphony Band, and can also be adapted to serve as a classroom/lecture space for
classes and clinics with larger numbers of students. Instead of a raised stage that limits open space, roughly one-third of the Pappert
Center's floor is finished in a hardwood "stage." Theatrical lighting, a variety of
seating arrangements, and a high-tech audio/visual system, including a 16-foot video
projection screen and surround sound audio, complete the transformation from a rehearsal
space to a performance venue that can seat over 100 people. Inside the Pappert Center, you will have the ability to utilize one of our four Model
D Steinway grand pianos, as well as easy access to the instrumental music library.
Percussion studios and storage are also directly adjacent, making for easy setup/teardown. The Pappert Center is directly tied into the William M. Schrecengost Memorial Mastering
Suite where concerts, recitals, and rehearsals can be captured, recorded, and prepared for
critical listening purposes, enhancing the experience of those studying state-of-the-art
techniques in digital audio, video production, and broadcast media. Many of our ensembles regularly perform off-campus in some of Pittsburgh's most notable
halls, auditoriums, and churches, including: Other notable venues outside of Pittsburgh in which our ensembles have had the opportunity
to perform have included both Carnegie Music Hall and Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola at Lincoln
Center in New York City, as well as many other prestigious venues around the country.
The Voices of Spirit travel regularly, recently performing in various venues in Canada. As a student of the Mary Pappert School of Music, you will have access to over 60
practice/rehearsal spaces throughout the building. These spaces are equipped with
amenities including Steinway pianos, full-length mirrors, and music stands. Large
ensemble rooms and classrooms are also available by request. If your applied instrument is piano, you will be granted access to a suite of practice
rooms equipped with Steinway baby grand pianos. In addition, one of the piano major
practice rooms includes two pianos. The piano practice rooms often double as rehearsal
spaces for accompanied instrumental or vocal works. Accompanists and students in the
collaborative piano program often use these spaces to prepare for student recitals. On the lowest level of the Mary Pappert School of Music, there is a suite of acoustically-enhanced
practice rooms that are larger than standard practice rooms, allowing you to conduct
small group rehearsals. These rooms are equipped with Steinway upright pianos and
were renovated through the generous gifts of donors who wished to preserve the memory
of Matty and Eddie Shiner, renowned trumpet and trombone artists who taught thousands
of Duquesne brass students over their years of service. Featuring
Jazz EnsembleMike Tomaro, Program Director of Jazz StudiesJazz WorkshopJeff... Mike Tomaro & Jeff Bush, Artistic Directors
For the last two years, the Uptown Jazz... Mike Tomaro & Jeff Bush, Artistic Directors
Who can present a concert on October 31... Duquesne University Jazz EnsembleMike Tomaro, Program Director of Jazz StudiesFeaturing... Eric Susoeff, director
Admission
$10 Suggested Donation (cash only at the door)Performance Facilities
Explore PNC Recital Hall
See the PNC Recital Hall in Concert
PNC Recital Hall Lobby
Explore PNC Recital Hall Lobby
Explore the Pappert Center
Standard Practice Room
Piano Major Practice Rooms
Matty and Eddie Shiner Practice Rooms
The Jazz Studio is equipped with a drumset, baby grand piano, guitar/bass amps, and
a digital piano/synth workstation that is used for private instruction and small combo
rehearsals.
Upcoming Jazz Events
Duquesne University Jazz Ensembles
Uptown Jazz Series: Game Music, Part 2
Uptown Jazz Series: Scary Music
Latin Explosion
Jazz Guitar Ensemble