July 20 – 25, 2025
Applications open February 1, 2025 – Mark your calendar!
The University of Oregon Summer Jazz Improvisation Camp is for junior-high through high-school aged instrumentalists wanting to develop skills in the art of improvisation. The camp is designed for musicians with advanced improvisation experience as well as for performers wanting to learn how to improvise for the first time. The University of Oregon Jazz Studies faculty and a team of the region’s finest jazz artists/educators work with students at this week-long, work-intensive camp.
Basic Information
Eligibility
The University of Oregon Jazz Improvisation Camp is open to all wind, percussion, guitar, bass (upright or electric), and piano players who are completing grades 7 -12. Graduating seniors are welcome! A recorded audition is required to attend this camp as well as submission of the camp application form with parental permission.
Courses and Activities
8 to 10 coached ensembles (students will be placed according to skill)
Jazz Theory class
Daily masterclasses
Patterns/Ear-training class
Evening concerts
Evening jam sessions
Recreational activities
Lodging and Meals
Students will be housed in UO Residence Halls and will be served all meals in the Residence Hall Cafeterias. UO Jazz Studies majors are selected to serve as dorm counselors and live in the dorms for the duration of the camp in order to adequately supervise students and care for their safety. Group recreation activities are also planned and supervised by the counselors.
Tentative Schedule
You will receive a full itinerary in your information packet, sent approximately one month prior to camp.
Sunday
12:00 Registration and Dorm Check-In for Drums, Bass & Guitar (then unload equipment at School of Music)
12:45 Registration and Dorm Check-In for All Campers
2:00 General Meeting (parents invited)
2:45 Auditions & Theory Placements
5:30 Dinner, evening concert and dorm meeting
Monday-Thursday
7:00 Breakfast
8:30 Jazz Theory
9:30 Masterclass
10:30 Small Group Rehearsals
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Patterns/ Drum Set / Piano
2:00 Topics in Jazz
3:00 Small Group Rehearsals
4:30 Afternoon Faculty Concerts
5:30 Dinner
7:30 Evening Jam Sessions
9:30 Camp Dismissed
10:00 Curfew
11:00 Lights Out
Friday
7:00 Breakfast
8:30 Jazz Theory
9:30 Master Classes
10:30 Small Group Rehearsals
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Final run-throughs
3:00 Final concert (parents are highly encouraged to attend)
5:30 Dorm check-out
Auditions
An audition recording is required for new campers only with the following exceptions*: All-State participants, State Solo Contest top three finishers, and scholarship recipients. Please indicate on the application whether you are exempt from submitting an audition.
*Must be on the same instrument you will play at camp.
Returning campers do NOT need to submit a recorded audition.
All recorded auditions should be digital files e-mailed either as attachments or with file-sharing links to musiccamps@uoregon.edu. Recordings do not need to be professionally recorded. E-mails need to include camper name, instrument, and all recorded files must be clearly named.
Auditions are due by June 20th. Applicants will be notified of their status within two weeks of submitting their audition. Acceptance to the camp is based on whether we feel they will benefit from our curriculum, and priority is not given to more advanced players, but rather on a first-come, first-served basis. We recommend submitting an audition by May (at the latest) in the event the camp fills up early. Once full, a notice will be placed on the website, and new applications/auditions will be placed on a waitlist.
Winds, Guitar, Piano and Bass:
– Major scales in as many keys as possible (two octaves if possible).
– 2 to 3 minutes of either a classical or jazz solo piece
– Optional: 2 to 3 minutes improvising over a blues or jazz standard (This can be an excerpt from a concert or a recording of you playing along with a play-along recording (e.g. Jamey Aebersold books, Learn Jazz Standards tracks, etc.).
Drums:
16 measures of as many of the following grooves (on drumset) as possible:
– Medium Swing at m.m. = 138
– Bossa Nova at m.m. = 132
– Samba at m.m. = 100
– Funk at m.m. = 88
– Up-tempo Swing at m.m. = 108
– 2 to 3 minutes of a recording of you with an ensemble (not necessarily a jazz ensemble)
Combo Placement Auditions
During the combo placement auditions, which take place on the first day of camp, all students should be prepared to play a portion of a jazz solo or etude. We will also ask you to try your hand at improvising and to play a few scales. Drummers will be asked to play basic swing, rock, and Latin beats, as well as to “trade fours”. DON’T WORRY! If you’ve never improvised or are unfamiliar with basic beats, then this IS the camp for you. EVERYONE is here to learn. The purpose of the audition is to place you in a combo with other campers of similar skill.
Registration Deadline
Our camp is able to accommodate a maximum of 85 students. Early application is recommended. The camp is likely to meet its capacity before the application deadline of June 20, 2025. Submitting your application by June 20 does not guarantee you a spot in the camp. You may be placed on a waiting list if the camp is full. If the camp becomes full, we will post a notice on the website.
Scholarship recipients – in order to reserve your spot in the camp, we ask that you register and accept your scholarship by May 1. If you have decided not to attend the camp, we would like to know by May 1 (or sooner if possible) so that other applicants may be considered. Do not hesitate to get in touch with any questions/concerns.
Tuition Balance Due July 4th, 2025.
What Next?
Once you have registered and paid your deposit, we will send you a confirmation letter of acceptance after reviewing your audition tape. Please expect a maximum of two weeks to review audition tapes. Once you have been accepted, we will send you a packet of information about one month before camp begins.
Downloads and Links
Camp Application – available February 1st, 2025
Expenses
Scholarships & Discounts
Make A Payment
Jazz Improvisation Camp What to Bring
Summer Music Camp Rules and Regulations