By Julie FrenchThe Daily Northwestern
After announcing the suspension of the jazz studies major last week, Music Dean Toni-Marie Montgomery held a closed meeting with current jazz students Wednesday to explain the decision and to answer their questions.
The inability to find a director and the rejection of all 18 applicants to the jazz program for next year were the primary reasons for the suspension of the program, Montgomery told The Daily after the meeting.
Discussion at the meeting centered on criticism of the admissions process for the jazz program. To gain admission to Northwestern, all prospective music students must pass a classical audition, even if they intend to major in jazz. Students argue that this measure is unfair because classical students do not have to pass a jazz audition to gain admittance.
“The biggest barrier right now is convincing the classical faculty that jazz is a necessary part of the School of Music,” Music senior Mike Lebrun said. If classical faculty wanted the jazz program to end, all they would have to do is deny applicants intending to study jazz, he said.
Discussions will be held about altering the audition process for jazz students, Montgomery said.
Students said they have raised the same issue before but have not yet seen change. Music junior Josh Moshier, however, said he felt Wednesday’s meeting indicated the growing sense of urgency.
“We are encouraged that the classical faculty seem to be open to some negotiation, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to change,” said Moshier, a jazz minor. “The people who work with us on a day-to-day basis, know us and mentor us aren’t the people being consulted about this.”
Both Moshier and Lebrun have involved themselves in student activism to keep the program going. Jazz students performed all day at The Arch last week and played live on WNUR Tuesday. A petition has gathered more than 1000 signatures in the past week, including endorsements from Music students who would benefit from additional funding if the program were to end.
They also sent out e-mails to personal contacts, alumni and other universities with jazz departments in the United States to increase awareness, Lebrun said. He set up the Friends of NU Jazz Web site, on which more than 25 letters of support from around the country have been posted.
They said they feel that their actions have made a difference so far.
“(Dean Montgomery) realized that this has broader implications and how many people were affected by it,” Lebrun said.
Lebrun attended a meeting last week during which Prof. Charles Geyer told several students the fate of the jazz studies major. At the time, he told students the Music School had “discontinued” the major. At Wednesday’s meeting, however, Geyer revised his former statement and said instead that the major was suspended. Lebrun said he believes the school’s change in decision occurred after students’ overwhelming negative response to the original news.
“I think we all know that wasn’t a mistake,” Lebrun said.
Montgomery emphasized that there is a chance that the major will return.
“There was no decision made to end the program,” she said. “Never did I say close. It was suspended because there were no students accepted.”
Although the search for a new director will not be as active as it was before, it will continue. Two offers were made in the past, but both candidates declined the position.
“If either of those people had said yes, we wouldn’t be having this discussion,” Montgomery said. She added that she remains committed to strengthening the program, and that all of the jazz ensembles will continue next year, with members including jazz majors and classical students alike. There will be six remaining jazz studies majors after the five seniors graduate this spring.
Reach Julie French at [email protected].
