Issue date: 5/24/07 Section: Campus

By Julie French
The 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.

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