Jazz

MacPhail Center for Music is proud to offer students exploration of the great Black American art-form, jazz.

Under the direction of Christopher Rochester, the faculty provides a comprehensive, explorative jazz curriculum spanning the great traditions of the past to the innovative developments of the present. The program gives students different opportunities and enhances the presence and quality of jazz performance in the MacPhail community.

Jazz offerings include: individual lessons, combos, summer camps, school partnerships, performances, master classes, and jam sessions.

Jam Sessions

Key to this program, open jam sessions (similar to the jazz clubs of year’s past) provide students with the opportunity to perform with others, test their chops, develop performance skills, and network with a welcoming community of fellow musicians.

Performances/Master Classes

Throughout all student activities, performances are integrated. In addition, the MacPhail jazz faculty perform frequently at MacPhail events and in featured MacPhail concerts such as the MacPhail Spotlight Series. Faculty also provide instrument/genre specific master classes.

Guest Clinicians

MacPhail is proud to partner with the Twin Cites Jazz Festival and will annually host clinics by the headlining performers of the Jazz Festival in Antonello Hall. In 2019 MacPhail hosted sessions with Emmet Cohen, piano; Houston Person, saxophone; and Dee Dee Bridgewater, voice.

Cheryl Bentyne of Manhattan Transfer and Jennifer Parker, local jazz vocalist, are scheduled to present performances and workshops in the coming months.

Faculty member: Christopher Rochester

Director of Global Music Initiative, Saxophone, Jazz

Faculty member: Vicky Mountain

Voice, Jazz

Faculty member: Bryan Nichols

Piano, Jazz

Christopher Rochester

The MacPhail Jazz program is led by Global Music Initiative Director, Christopher Rochester. Chris is an African American musician, educator, and composer. He has studied and played with artists such as Greg Osby, George Garzone, Scotty Barnhart (current leader of the Count Basie Band), Bill Pierce, and many others. As an educator he’s taught in Florida, Minnesota, Georgia, and Alabama, helping students receive scholarship offers from many illustrious programs. Several of his students have been recognized at the state level and have won many auditions and awards.

For Individual Lessons, please fill out our Student Placement Form.