BM - Music Theory and Composition

The jazz performance specialization blends a liberal arts education with the intensive training needed to develop into a professional musician working in jazz and popular music. 

Students work toward fundamental mastery of their instruments and develop professional skills in both small group and studio/large ensembles. Time, feel, sound, the blues, improvisation and high-level interaction are all major areas of focus. 

The SIUE campus is just minutes away from the thriving musical culture in St. Louis, a city that has played a key role in the development of the blues, ragtime, jazz, rock 'n' roll and hip hop. SIUE students have many opportunities to perform and experience great performances on and off campus. 

Jazz musician and producer Quincy Jones once stated, “Jazz is the classical music of pop.” Quincy’s statement rings true as many of our graduates have gone on to work in jazz, as well as all areas of popular music. Common career paths include: