What is Global Jazz Studies?

Jazz is a global and constantly evolving phenomenon, with roots and their extensions in Africa, the Americas, Europe and Asia. As a cultural force, jazz has a powerful tendency to transform the musical and political worlds it engages. We cultivate jazz’s transformative capabilities in our curriculum while we focus on honing the skills and talents of our students. Students have the opportunity to play in multiple ensembles and work one-on-one with artist-teachers in individual studios. Our courses immerse our students in the vibrant history and culture of jazz.

In the best liberal arts tradition, you will enjoy interdisciplinary contact from the departments of ethnomusicology, musicology and music industry at the School of Music and UCLA’s other arts and humanities departments. We are committed to giving students the best academic and musical preparation, all while taking advantage of the many performance opportunities on campus and in Los Angeles.

“It’s amazing how jazz interacts and influences cultures from around the world. I’m an immigrant myself, and I appreciated the global focus of the program.”
-Christian Omar Ruiz Mendoza, class of 2023

Global Jazz Studies News

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Cheryl L. Keyes's "Sundiata Keita Overture" Wins Global Music Award
Cheryl L. Keyes, professor of ethnomusicology and global jazz studies and chair of the African American studies department, was recently awarded the silver medal in the Global Music Awards for her “Sundiata Keita Overture.” The overture received its world premiere in Royce Hall on June 5 during a multimedia event, “Prelude to Juneteenth.”
Musicians turn the Big Dipper into an ‘Interstellar Cantata,’ with Help from NASA
“L.A. Signal Lab” is a collective of musicians, including Hitomi Oba, global jazz studies and music department saxophonist. Mark Swed reviewed their Koreatown premiere of “URSA: an interstellar cantata” for
Jazz: A Way to Run Your Business, a Way to Run Your Life
JB Dyas, vice president of education and curriculum development at the Herbie Hancock Institute, has a new article in Downbeat Magazine on how the tenets of jazz philosophy have been
Regina Carter to Bring the Music and Culture of Lost Neighborhoods to UCLA Students
When Regina Carter was a young girl growing up in Detroit, her mother sometimes took her to work with her. As they drove to the elementary school where she taught, Carter’s mother pointed out the different neighborhoods. “This one is ‘Black Bottom,’ and this is ‘Paradise Valley,’” she would say, as Carter looked out the window.The only trouble was, these historic African American neighborhoods didn’t exist anymore. They had been destroyed to make way for the I-75.
Freedom First to Feature Student Composition
On Friday, October 6, Schoenberg Hall will witness a special event. A concert for Keith LaMar will feature legendary jazz musicians Salim Washington and multi-Grammy Award winner Arturo O’Farrill. The
Mexican Music's regional roots go from 'invisible' to 'invincible'
ABC News recently covered explosion of Mexican genres in American popular music. To understand the music’s regional roots, they turned to Steven Loza, professor of Global Jazz Studies at The
Dec 1 Sun
4:00pm
Free
jazz
UCLA Fall Jazz Concert 1
UCLA student combos and ensembles directed by world-class jazz artists will be performing well-known jazz standards, contemporary works, and pop songs, as well as compositions by the faculty directors and
Schoenberg Hall
Dec 2 Mon
7:00pm
Free
jazz
UCLA Fall Jazz Concert 2
UCLA student combos and ensembles directed by world-class jazz artists will be performing well-known jazz standards, contemporary works, and pop songs, as well as compositions by the faculty directors and
Schoenberg Hall
Dec 3 Tue
7:00pm
Free
jazz
UCLA Fall Jazz Concert 3
UCLA student combos and ensembles directed by world-class jazz artists will be performing well-known jazz standards, contemporary works, and pop songs, as well as compositions by the faculty directors and
Schoenberg Hall

Explore Our Degrees

Conducting
Graduate study and training in choral, orchestral, or wind conducting
Ethnomusicology
The study of global musical traditions through performance training, research, and field work
Global Jazz Studies
Jazz performance and musicianship courses are paired with African American Studies
Music Composition
Mentorship in the creation and realization of music for concerts, opera, and visual media
Music Education
Preparation for music educators leading to a BA and teaching credential in just four years
Music Industry
A leadership-focused professional degree which prepares students to transform the creative, entrepreneurial, and executive structures of the music industry
Musicology
The scholarly study of the histories, cultures, and critical interpretations of music and music-making
Music Performance
Study and training towards professional performance careers in Western classical music