The NEC Prep Jazz program offers private lessons in Jazz and related styles for students from ages 8 to 18, and we accept all levels of experience. Lessons are for all instruments and voice as well as subjects like improvisation/theory, composition, songwriting, arranging, computer music notation, and digital audio production.
Jazz private lesson teachers are assigned to students by the Jazz department Chair and Assistant Chair after the placement meeting for new students.
The majority of Jazz students take some Jazz classroom courses and Small Jazz Ensemble as well, so the chairs make sure students get the personalized schedule they need and coordinate not only which teacher is assigned to each student for lessons, but when all repeating weekly lessons and Small Jazz Ensembles happen. Only the Jazz classroom course times are fixed.
Private lesson registration of at least 30 lessons triggers a discount of $250 on each Jazz classroom course and a discount of $255 on each Jazz ensemble. Most students in the Jazz program have one private Jazz teacher, but many students choose to have a second additional Jazz teacher on another instrument or subject. Students have the opportunity to study with as many as four different jazz private lesson teachers.
The majority of NEC Prep Jazz students take lessons in person on NEC’s campus, primarily on Saturdays, but there are some faculty that will teach weekday lessons on campus, weekdays at their homes (if it is convenient for both teacher and student), or weekdays at the Walnut Hill School for the Arts campus in Natick (for Walnut Hill students only).
SoundJack (see a prep group jamming with it) allows for remote weekday online lessons, where students and teachers can play together live in real time with high fidelity sound from student homes as long as they live within 500 miles (802km) of NEC. NEC’s use of this technology was featured in DownBeat magazine. This requires specific equipment and setup time. Other technology like Zoom can be used for the visual part of online lessons when using SoundJack. Online lessons can also use Zoom for students living greater than 500 miles away. Equipment for SoundJack is listed here.
Email prepjazz@necmusic.edu with any questions about the Jazz department.
30 Lessons is the standard number of weekly lessons for the Fall/Spring school year, is required for Walnut Hill students and will end in May.
36 Lessons is for students who would like to continue their lessons through June.
Links
Jazz Placement Information
Link to Jazz Placement Form
Jazz Ensemble Information
Jazz Classroom Course Information
Jazz Certificate Program
Jazz Faculty