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Jazz has a long and rich history in Baltimore and at the Peabody Conservatory, where the Jazz Studies Department was founded in 2001.
Today, Peabody Jazz emphasizes experiential learning and connects you to a network of active and respected performers, both on the faculty and in the worldwide jazz community. Classroom and studio instruction are augmented with real-world opportunities in a variety of settings and local venues. And your jazz coursework and lessons are part of a curriculum that crosses artistic boundaries and equips you with the skills to navigate today’s professional landscape.
Guest and visiting artists in recent years have included Charles McPherson, Renee Rosnes, Ignacio Berroa, Braxton Cook, Luis Perdomo, Darcy James Argue, Chelsey Green, Alex Brown, Benny Golson, Wycliffe Gordon, and Branford Marsalis. Over the years, jazz greats including John Abercrombie, Tim Berne, Terri Lyne Carrington, Dennis Chambers, George Colligan, Marc Copland, Peter Erskine, Jerry Granelli, Andre Hayward, Conrad Herwig, Tim Miller, John Patitucci, Rufus Reid, Sam Rivers, David Samuels, Lynn Seaton, Marcus Strickland, Miroslav Vitous, Steve Wilson, and Peabody alumnus Dontae Winslow have visited Peabody Jazz.
Current students and alumni of Peabody Jazz maintain active schedules as performers and educators, working frequently in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and New York, as well as internationally. Alumni activities of special note include collaborations with Roy Hargrove and Nnenna Freelon, the Music Center at Strathmore’s Artist in Residence Program, Buffet Crampon USA Performing Artists, Inner Circle Music Recording Artists, and faculty appointments at Peabody, the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, and the University of Tartu.