Programme per year

The first year is the same for all Jazz & Pop students. You will be introduced to different styles and develop a broad range of skills, accomplished through a number of projects and the following subjects:

- your main subject (your instrument);
- bands;
- improvisation;
- piano at your own level;
- music sequencing and home recording;
- education;
- music theory;
- workshops and masterclasses by nationally and internationally renowned musicians.

In addition to these courses, you will also take part in several projects. Together with the second year, this first year provides a solid foundation for the rest of your studies.

You may also apply for the Honours Programme in your first year, as an addition to the theoretical component of your programme.

Your main subject (your instrument) still plays a central role in your studies in the second year. Theory subjects also continue to play an important role. In addition, you will now choose some of your courses yourself. As electives, you have the option to choose: a secondary subject on another instrument or in Classical Music, music technology, mindfulness, backing vocals, session playing, arranging or songwriting. Every student is required to be part of two Academy of Music bands, including at least World Jazz & Pop. Other fixed elements in the second year are Classical Music, main subject-related methodology and project weeks.

The first two years give you a strong foundation and enough insight to make a well-informed decision later on in your studies about how you want to specialise.

From the third year onwards, the share of electives becomes even larger. You can also take electives in the Jazz & Pop programme at the ArtEZ Academy of Music in Arnhem. At the same time, there are still fixed components such as individual principal study lessons, band coaching, education, research skills, world music and entrepreneurship.

Band coaching takes place with your own band, which you form together with other students from the programme. These bands function exactly as they do in professional practice:
 

-you rehearse;

-you organise your own concerts;

-you take care of the business aspects such as finances, marketing and rights;

-you make recordings in a professional studio.
 

Having a band primarily means being an active performer. You perform in ArtEZ’s own concert halls, but also onstage with partner organisations and at festivals. In addition to making music, there is also plenty of focus on entrepreneurship, because you will inevitably need to understand the business side of your profession after you graduate.

In the fourth year, you will largely determine the content of your studies yourself. For example, as part of your elective space, you may choose to do an intensive internship in the professional field. In that case, you would look for an internship position that matches the content of the programme, such as one that builds on a minor you completed in your third year. In some cases, an audition or application will be required.

You will give your final presentation once you have completed all other required courses in the programme. You will design this final concert or project entirely by yourself. Instead of graduating with a concert, you may choose to graduate by presenting an audio production. For every type of final project, jazz, pop or a combination of both will play a main role, but just as often, you can hear heavy metal, Latin, cabaret, R&B, big band jazz or singer-songwriters in final presentations.

Past final presentations can be found via the ArtEZ finals page. Please visit some Jazz & Pop performances if you are considering this programme, as this will give you a sense of what students are working on and what their final projects look like.