Jazz

The Cornell University Jazz program provides those who are sincerely interested in the art of improvisation the opportunity to explore history, composition, arranging, and craft through performance and scholarship.

Jazz audition packet

Sign up

Trumpets and trombones:
Sunday, August 24, 2:30-3:30 pm Lincoln Hall B20

Saxophones:
Sunday, August 24, 4:00-5:30 pm Lincoln Hall B20

Piano, guitar, bass, and drumset:
Sunday, August 24, 5:30-7:30 pm Lincoln Hall B20

Vocalists:
Upload a recording of a jazz standard on or before Sunday, August 24. Submit the video here. Call backs are with a live band the second week of classes.

Other instrumentalists (flute, violin, harp, tabla) or those who would prefer a one-on-one audition, contact Paul Merrill.

Audition requirements for individual instruction & lessons  are identical to the ensemble audition. If you are interested in studying with a faculty member one-on-one, please attend the ensemble audition or contact contact Paul Merrill.

Jazz Ensemble

The Jazz Ensemble develops musicianship, improvisation, and ensemble skills while exploring the cultural and historical contexts of the art form. Past guest artists included jazz masters like Joshua Redman, Maria Schneider, and Wynton Marsalis. Participation is by audition.

Learn more about the Jazz Ensemble

Jazz Combos

Students explore traditional and contemporary styles through ear-based learning and collaborative rehearsal techniques. Weekly coachings help develop musicianship, creativity, and a personal artistic voice.

Learn more about Jazz Combos

Neo-Soul Ensemble

The Neo-Soul Ensemble is a student-driven band performing pop, R&B, and Neo-Soul, blending modern sounds with jazz influences while earning national recognition for its vibrant, and evolving performances and recordings.

Learn more about the Neo-Soul Ensemble

The Original Cornell Syncopators

The Original Cornell Syncopators are a student-run ensemble dedicated to performing and recording early jazz from the 1910s to 1930s, blending historical authenticity with professional artistry.

Learn more about The Original Cornell Syncopators

Jazz +

Jazz+ is a student organization dedicated to the appreciation and performance of jazz music plus more. While some members of the club may participate in department jazz ensembles, or affiliated clubs, Jazz+ is open to everyone. Officers and members coordinate jam sessions, social events, master classes, and performances by guest artists. The org manages a gig referral service for student groups and helps manage performance and studio equipment.

With help from the Slope Day Programming Board and the Office of the Dean of Students, Jazz+ founded Big Red Battle of the Bands, a competition designed to build community among musicians from all styles and to select two student groups to play on Slope Day.

Keep an eye on the jazz events calendar for upcoming Jazz+ events

Questions? Contact jazzplus@cornell.edu

The jazz program is supported entirely by donations from friends and alumni. Please consider doing your part to support the jazz mission at Cornell University. 

CU Jazz

Our alumni are vibrant contributors to jazz scenes in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Los Angeles, and beyond. Many are educators shaping the next generation of musicians or producing, recording, and writing new work. Others pursue careers in STEM, the humanities, and business—all while continuing to perform at a high level.

Jazz isn’t just a musical language, it's a lifelong practice of listening, learning, and leadership. Whether your goal is to deepen your artistry, grow your musical community, or challenge yourself in new ways, this program is designed to support your journey.

Get ready, dig in, and let the music take you further than you imagined.

Jazz Ensemble

The ensemble performs a diverse repertoire spanning classic, modern, and contemporary large ensemble literature. It has commissioned original works from esteemed composers such as Jim McNeely and Rufus Reid, and has shared the stage with legendary jazz artists like the late Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Henderson, Barry Harris, and James Moody. Recent guest artist collaborations have featured leading voices in contemporary and traditional jazz, such as Sara Gazarek, Gerald Clayton, Camille Thurman, Maria Schneider, Joshua Redman, and Wynton Marsalis.

With a curriculum grounded in the development and spirit of swing, musicianship, improvisational skill, advanced sight reading, and collaborative ensemble performance, the ensemble also places strong emphasis on the cultural and historical contexts of the music and musicians studied. Membership by audition.

Jazz Combos

Repertoire is selected to align with the artistic interests and pedagogical development of the enrolled musicians. Combo sections may center their studies on seminal figures such as Joni Mitchell, Horace Silver, John Coltrane, Art Blakey, and Weather Report or focus on specific stylistic traditions or aesthetic approaches. In each configuration, students actively shape the curriculum by composing original work, transcribing, and selecting repertoire for study. Material is learned aurally from recordings and the use of written music or chord sheets/apps are discouraged. This approach fosters deep listening skills and expands musical memory in a highly collaborative rehearsal environment. Guided by weekly faculty coachings. Participation by audition.

Neo-Soul Ensemble

Originally founded in 2009 by Tony Craddock Jr. ('10) and Clayton Henry ('12) as a smooth jazz group, the ensemble has evolved through several genres with a focus on staying at the forefront of modern music while consistently drawing influence from jazz. The artistic goals of the band often shift to best serve the personal tastes and backgrounds of the talented rotation of members. The student-led Neo-Soul Ensemble has enjoyed a wide range of performance experiences, from intimate, jam-packed performances around Ithaca to opening Cornell's Slope Day, and recording a single at Invite Only Studios. Recently, they won recognition for outstanding performance in the Blues/Pop/Rock Group category of the Downbeat Student Music Awards. Advised by Paul Merrill. Membership by audition.

The Original Syncopators

Founded by Colin Hancock ('19) in 2016, the Original Cornell Syncopators were formed to explore the music of the Original Dixieland Jass Band for a concert celebrating the 100th-year anniversary of their first recording. It has since grown into a larger ensemble, one that performs both sweet and hot music from the late 1910s to the mid-1930s. The group’s adviser, Professor Robbert van Renesse link: https://www.cs.cornell.edu/home/rvr/ as an original member and continues to play banjo. The Syncopators are a professionally motivated student-run ensemble that has performed in San Diego, Rochester, Philadelphia, and New York and hosted master classes with Wynton Marsalis, the Hot Toddies Jazz Band, and Mike Davis. Their recordings, ‘Live at the Triad,’ ‘Wild Jazz,’ and ‘Collegiate’ are available on all major streaming platforms. Membership by audition.

Paul Merrill - Director

pm75@cornell.edu

235 Lincoln
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853

Department of Music

Jazz+

jazzplus@cornell.edu