BA (Hons) Jazz Music - 2026 Entry

History and Repertoire 

You’ll explore jazz’s roots and evolution through three areas: historical study, repertoire analysis, and creative application. You’ll analyse landmark works, rethink jazz traditions, and use that insight in your own compositions and performances. This module builds your ability to research, reflect, and apply your findings musically—whether through essays, performances, or creative projects that demonstrate a deep understanding of the genre’s cultural and theoretical dimensions. 

Introduction to Jazz Performance 

You’ll develop essential performance skills, building your jazz vocabulary, tone, improvisation, and ensemble communication. Working closely with your tutor, you’ll sharpen techniques like sight-reading, intonation, and memorisation. The module emphasises body language, stage presence, and aural development, while helping you build healthy practice habits and a personal performance style. You'll also explore reflective tools to support your growth as a jazz musician. 

Introduction to Jazz Performance 2 

You’ll continue to elevate your technical and stylistic fluency through in-depth instrumental or vocal training. You’ll further develop improvisational skill, ensemble awareness, and advanced jazz language. Emphasis is placed on personal expression, stagecraft, and performance presentation. Through reflection, structured practice, and experimentation, you’ll build on your unique artistic identity and collaborative abilities. 

JAT (Jazz Aural and Theory): Essential Principles 

You’ll gain core musicianship skills in theory and aural training. Through practical exercises, you’ll explore harmony, rhythm, melody, and ear training—all essential for jazz performance and composition. This foundational module strengthens your confidence with notation, analysis, and listening, preparing you for deeper study in Semester 2. 

JAT (Jazz Aural and Theory): Structural Analysis 

You’ll expand on your foundational theory and aural skills by exploring advanced harmonic language, rhythmic complexity, and tonal systems. This module deepens your understanding of musical structure and helps you apply theoretical insight to your own performances and compositions with greater precision and creativity. 

Musicology and Composition 

You’ll investigate musicological concepts and apply them to your own jazz compositions. By analysing existing works and experimenting with harmony, form, and structure, you’ll develop a personal compositional voice. Collaborative workshops encourage experimentation and reflection, helping you merge critical thinking with creative expression.

Jazz Language 1 

You’ll develop fluency in jazz idioms through transcription, analysis, and composition. With lectures and workshops, you’ll explore the building blocks of jazz—from harmonic progression to rhythmic structure—while gaining historical and cultural context that informs your practice and creativity. 

Jazz Language 2 

You’ll build on your skills in jazz transcription, composition, and analysis. Exploring more complex rhythms and harmonies, you’ll deepen your understanding of jazz styles and refine your performance and writing. You’ll also explore how technology shapes contemporary jazz, preparing work that reflects both tradition and innovation. 

Jazz Performance 1 

You’ll strengthen your improvisational and performance skills through one-to-one lessons, ensemble sessions, and style-specific lectures. You’ll contribute original ideas to group work, refine ensemble communication, and develop your artistic confidence. This module nurtures your growth as both a soloist and ensemble performer. 

Jazz Performance 2 

You’ll deepen your improvisation, technique, and repertoire knowledge through advanced ensemble work and individual study. You’ll explore more challenging styles and refine your stage presence and musical interaction. This module helps you grow into a confident, expressive jazz performer. 

History of Jazz and African Music 

You’ll explore jazz’s early roots alongside African rhythmic traditions. Through lectures and workshops, you’ll trace the journey from spirituals to swing while analysing West African rhythmic systems like call-and-response and polyrhythm. You’ll compose hybrid works and understand how culture, resistance, and groove shaped jazz. 

History of Jazz & Central/South American Music 

You’ll continue tracing jazz’s development while diving into Latin American influences like Afro-Cuban and Brazilian rhythms. You’ll examine how clave, syncopation, and melodic traditions shaped jazz, then integrate these techniques into your own compositions and performances. 

Jazz Language 3 

You’ll tackle advanced jazz composition, creating original works for nonet and arranging for big band. Through analysis, transcription, and practical tasks, you’ll deepen your understanding of harmony, rhythm, and orchestration, strengthening your musical identity and creative toolkit. 

Jazz Language 4 

You’ll refine your compositional voice through complex rhythmic, harmonic, and stylistic study. Tasks include scoring a full big band arrangement and composing with global rhythmic influences. This module bridges your creative ideas with cultural and theoretical insight. 

Jazz Performance 3 

You’ll explore wider repertoire and sophisticated improvisation strategies. Through lessons and ensemble work, you’ll sharpen your technical and expressive skills, enhance musical interplay, and present polished group performances that reflect your personal artistry and leadership. 

Jazz Performance 4 

You’ll take on challenging repertoire and lead ensemble sessions with greater independence. This module enhances your improvisational fluency and ensemble confidence, helping you shape compelling performances and communicate more clearly with audiences and fellow musicians. 

History of Jazz & South Asian Music 

You’ll study jazz’s evolution alongside South Asian music, focusing on raga, tala, and konnakol. You’ll analyse Indo-jazz fusion and global collaborations, using these ideas in your own compositions and performances. This module deepens your appreciation of jazz as a cross-cultural form. 

History of Jazz & Arabic/Eastern European Music 

You’ll investigate how Middle Eastern and Balkan music has influenced jazz. Through maqam, microtonality, and complex rhythms, you’ll develop an advanced understanding of intercultural fusion. You’ll integrate these concepts into original works and explore jazz’s future as a global language.

Jazz Innovations 1 

You’ll explore two advanced areas: extended improvisation and cross-disciplinary collaboration. You’ll study free jazz, experiment in ensembles, and collaborate with artists from other disciplines. This module prepares you to think beyond jazz norms and develop ambitious creative projects. 

Jazz Innovations 2 

You’ll bring your artistic vision to life in a professional-level performance project. Combining improvisation and cross-arts collaboration, you’ll develop a unique piece that showcases your technical ability, creativity, and leadership. The result is a bold, original performance with real-world impact. 

Jazz Performance 5 

You’ll prepare for the professional stage with a 40-minute public performance. One-to-one coaching and industry sessions support your artistic identity, technical refinement, and performance planning. You’ll also explore career development and branding to help launch your post-graduate journey. 

Jazz Production & Recording: Audio 

You’ll learn to record and produce a professional jazz audio project. From mic placement to editing, this module teaches you how to capture your sound authentically. You’ll gain the confidence to self-produce and the skills to support your artistic independence. 

Jazz Production & Recording: Visual 

You’ll add a visual dimension to your recorded work by learning to film, edit, and sync video. Working with your ensemble, you’ll produce a polished 20-minute video and create a professional-quality electronic press kit (EPK) ready for industry use.