CMA & JAZZ
Student Handbook

JAZZ STUDIES & CONTEMPORARY MUSICAL ARTS STUDENT HANDBOOK 2025.2026

INTRODUCTION

This handbook is intended to serve as a guide for NEC Jazz Studies and Contemporary Musical Arts majors. You will find studio and ensemble policies, a list of available faculty and ways of contacting them, a list of ensembles, and general information about the Jazz and CMA departments. Please read it carefully and keep it for future reference. Although the information included here is subject to change, most of these policies and procedures are likely to remain in effect throughout the 2025.2026 academic year. More information can be found online at www.necmusic.edu.

THE JAZZ / CMA OFFICE

The Jazz / CMA Office is in the Jordan Hall Building, Rm. 258. Our Administrative Director, Rich Frost, keeps office hours from 9:00am – 4:00pm in JH 365. To schedule an appointment, please email him directly: Richard.Frost@NECMusic.edu .

It is important to make sure that the Jazz / CMA Office has your updated contact information including phone number and email address.

In accordance with FERPA policies, all departmental communication will be directed to your NEC email address. With over 150 students between Jazz and CMA, email is a very quick and efficient way to communicate.

CHECK YOUR EMAIL DAILY!

On Friday afternoons Rich will send an email with information about the following week.

Communicating with the Jazz/CMA office

The Jazz/CMA Office is available to answer any of your questions regarding regular procedures, schedules, rooms, paperwork, contacting teachers, etc.  To discuss exceptions, special cases, personal, musical, or academic problems, complaints or suggestions, confidential issues, etc., see the respective Department Chairs: Ken Schaphorst chair of the Jazz Studies Department; Eden MacAdam-Somer chair, Farayi Malek assistant chair & ensemble manager, Hankus Netsky former chair & department adivisor of Contemporary Musical Arts.

THE JAZZ & CONTEMPORARY MUSICAL ARTS WEBSITE

The Jazz and CMA Department website can be found at https://sites.google.com/necmusic.edu/necjazzci/home. In addition to email, the department website is another way of communicating with you. It is recommended that you check the Department website frequently for rehearsal information, masterclass announcements, schedule and room changes, cancellations and other important announcements.

PRACTICE AND REHEARSAL ROOMS

Consult the NEC student handbook for specific guidelines about practice room policies. We ask our students to be especially careful not to allow eating, drinking, or smoking in any practice rooms or concert halls. We are very serious about this rule. Please: No drinks on the piano, drums, and amps and please treat our equipment and instruments with great care! Report abuse of or damage to pianos or other school instruments to the Jazz/CMA Office immediately. For more information on piano maintenance, please contact Piano Services (pianoservices@necmusic.edu). Classrooms can be officially reserved for student rehearsals by going to the concert halls office website.

You can schedule practice rooms by using the form HERE.

(https://rooms.necmusic.edu/midas/webrequest.pl)

NEVER leave your instruments, valuables, or equipment unattended in a practice room or classroom, even for a few minutes.

ROOMS 340 & 342

Room 340 in the Jordan Hall building is a locked rehearsal/studio room for the jazz department. This room is primarily used for NEC scheduled ensembles and faculty studios. This room cannot be reserved by students for personal use.

Room 342 in the Jordan Hall building is the Jazz Percussion Studio, and most drum set lessons are held here. The room contains two drum sets and a piano. This room cannot be reserved by students for personal use.

DRUM SETS, LOCKERS, AND PERCUSSION ROOM ACCESS

Contact the Building Operations Office in the 33 Gainsborough building (first floor) for details regarding lockers and drum set practice facilities.  The ten jazz rehearsal rooms (JH340, JH342, JH 354, JH356, JH358, 33G 613, 33G 710, 33G 711 and G-01) have jazz department drum sets permanently in place and locked with cables to prevent theft of equipment.  Please treat them with care! Drummers should plan on bringing your own cymbals, snare drum, and hi-hat clutch to all rehearsals.

AMPS, VOCAL P.A. SYSTEM

Amplifiers and Vocal PAs will be provided for official Jazz and CMA department small ensemble rehearsals only. Since we have many vocalists, bassists, and guitarists and limited equipment, it is highly advised that vocalists, bassists, and guitarists purchase a portable P.A. or amp for their own use outside of regularly scheduled rehearsals. Vocalists are expected to own their own microphones, impedance-matching adaptors, cords, and mic stands (if needed).

JAZZ AND CMA GENERAL CONCERT ETIQUETTE

As a Jazz and CMA Major, you will be involved in many departmental and interdepartmental concerts. It is expected that you treat these concerts, along with their respective rehearsals, as professional gigs. You should arrive at the concert early and stay throughout its duration. For the RPTS department to provide PA support for our concerts, we must have sound checks. Most concerts, except for the Jazz and CMA Ensemble Concert Series, have sound checks that will take place on the day of the concert from 4-5:30pm (although the sound check times are subject to change).

REQUIRED RECITALS

• Bachelor of Music (Jazz Performance and CMA majors only): recital takes place in the 4th year (JS 499, CI 499) after the first 3 years of promotionals (JS/CI 195, 295 & 395) have been passed.

• Undergraduate Diploma (Jazz Performance and CMA majors only): recital takes place in the third year (JS/CI 399) after 2 years of promotionals (JS/CI 195 & 295) have been passed.

• Master of Music (Jazz Performance and CMA majors only); recital takes place in the 2nd year (JS/CI 699) after the first year of promotionals (JS/CI 595) has been passed.

• Graduate Diploma (Jazz Performance and CMA majors only); public promotional at the end of the first year (JS/CI 596); full recital at the end of the second year (JS/CI 698).

After registering for the appropriate required recital (JS/CI 399/499, JS/CI 596/698/699), you may schedule your recital through the Concert Halls office. Typically, within a week of scheduling your recital you need to obtain a signature from either your studio teacher or the department chair on the appropriate form. The earlier you sign up for a recital, the better your chances of getting the date you desire. Check NEC’s concert calendar for possible conflicts. Peak recital/concert time is in April. We recommend scheduling your recital for early in the semester if possible.

Your recital should be attended by your studio teacher(s); if they can’t attend then a recording of your recital should be heard by your studio teacher(s) for evaluation. Your studio teacher needs to submit a completed recital evaluation form for your recital. Once your teacher has filled out and signed the form, all the copies will go to the Department Chair (via his mailbox or at the Jazz/CMA Office) to be signed. You may pick up a yellow copy from the Registrar’s Office once it is processed.

RECITAL REQUIREMENTS

Recitals should be at least one hour in length and no more than two hours long. Material presented in a student’s recital should reflect that student’s work at NEC. The recital must be held on the NEC campus. Check in with your chairs and studio teachers prior to scheduling your recital date.

Students must submit their recital programs to their studio teacher(s) for approval at least one month before their recital. While we encourage creativity in both the substance and presentation of student recitals, students will be judged primarily on their demonstrated proficiency as jazz and contemporary musical arts performers. We also encourage students to speak briefly about the music being performed. 

Students are responsible for making all necessary arrangements to put on required or non-required recitals. Students are responsible for any publicity, P.A., and/or recording needs. This year students will be expected to handle several aspects of their recitals that the NEC stage crew has handled in previous years, including putting programs at the entrance, turning lights on and off, taking care of moving chairs and stands, and starting and ending the live-streams. Please be sure to line up a friend who can help with these tasks well before your recital.

All recitals should include a written program. Programs may be submitted to the Concert Halls Department, located on the first floor of the main building, and will be printed if programs adhere to the appropriate deadlines/guidelines. Please contact the Concert Halls department for further information (617-585-1268). You may also prepare your own programs.

The Audio Department (617-585-1275), located in the basement of the main building by Firestone Library, is available for P.A. and recording needs. As the Audio Department can get busy especially around concert times, please contact them to find out their availability as well as their fees. 

NON-REQUIRED RECITALS

Students wishing to give non-required recitals may request to do so by signing up for a date through the Concert Halls office. Certain time periods are set aside for required recitals. Please contact Concert Halls for information on when you can request a non-required recital.

JAZZ AND CONTEMPORARY MUSICAL ARTS ENSEMBLES 

All Jazz Performance and CMA majors are required to participate in small improvisation ensembles (DMA students are the only exception to this rule - they may choose to participate in ensembles if they wish). All entering Jazz Performance majors may also be required to participate in the NEC Jazz Orchestra or the Jazz Composers’ Workshop Orchestra. Ensemble placement is determined by audition at the start of each fall semester.

Each semester we have 2 large jazz ensembles, 25-27 small jazz ensembles, 10-14 Contemporary Musical Arts Ensembles and 2 Honors ensembles. The sizes of the NEC small ensembles can vary from quintets to nonets and the instrumentation is rather diverse and changes from year to year. 

New students will submit their ensemble preferences during orientation and returning students will submit their ensemble preferences for the next year right after their Promotional or Portfolio Review. Please bear in mind that ensemble placement depends on audition level, seniority, and department need, and that new students cannot always expect to get their first choice of ensemble teachers in the first year.  Also bear in mind that performance majors get priority over Jazz Composition and Non-majors for small ensemble placement, as small ensemble participation is a requirement for Jazz and CMA performance majors. 

Most small ensembles meet with their coach once a week on a weekday morning from 10-11:50am or evening from 6-7:50pm.

There are no NEC classes before noon and very few after 6pm, so it is assumed that you can attend ensembles at any of these times. 

JAZZ ENSEMBLE DETAILS

Jazz ensemble assignments usually stay the same for the whole school year. Mid-year changes are rare, and are only made by request of the teacher, because of unavoidable conflicts, to replace December graduates, or to fairly accommodate students admitted or returning in mid-year. We make as few mid-year changes as possible, and not all student course schedule changes (cross-registration, etc.) can be accommodated.

If you are a CMA student hoping to be in a jazz ensemble, please keep it in mind that these are year-long commitments!

CMA ENSEMBLE DETAILS

Most CMA ensembles meet for one semester. Every year, there are one or two that may be a year-long commitment, and in these cases, students are expected to remain in the ensemble all year. Students are invited to submit requests for spring CMA ensembles in November. 

JAZZ AND CMA ENSEMBLE ATTENDANCE POLICY

Unexcused absences are never permitted and are grounds for failure.

Every student is expected to be punctual, responsible and prepared. This means:

• you must attend all rehearsals/performances

• you must be warmed up and ready to play at the starting time for all rehearsals/performances

• you must be musically, technically, mentally, and physically prepared for all rehearsals/performances (this means bringing a mic, stand, cables, and any other equipment/instruments you need)

• Students are not allowed to “drop” or “withdraw” from ensembles. If you would like to make a change request, you must do so before the second week of rehearsals. Not all change requests may be workable.

Ensemble placements are assignments, they are not choices. If you would like to make a change request, you must do so by the end of the second week of the semester. Not all change requests may be workable. Exceptions may include oversights such as either scheduling someone in two ensembles at once or not placing a student in the right number of ensembles. 

ABSENCES

If any of the following steps are not completed, your absence will not be excused.

Illness – In the case of illness, please follow these procedures:

You must notify (1) your coach AND (2) Rich Frost, Production & Administrative Director for Jazz and CMA, via email at least one hour prior to the start of rehearsal.

In that email, please give a brief explanation for your absence and provide medical documentation.

If you cannot play due to injury or illness that is not contagious or confining you to bed, you are still expected to attend rehearsals to observe. If you cannot play for more than one rehearsal, you must provide medical documentation to support this.

Failure to follow all of these steps will result in the absence not being excused.

Jury duty – If you are called for jury duty, you are required by law to go to court on the assigned day. We will excuse this absence only if you have informed us at least one month in advance. You need to email a copy of your summons to the Administrative Director in order to be excused.

Religious observance – Absences due to the observance of religious holidays are excused by Massachusetts law. If your religious observance does conflict with an ensemble rehearsal, we will need to hear this from you directly. Please submit a complete list of the specific dates for the entire semester to the Administrative Director via email by the end of September or January. 

Note: Students participating in Jazz ensembles should plan to find a sub for any rehearsals missed for any reason.

Lateness 

You are expected to treat your ensembles as you would treat a valued professional rehearsal or gig, out of respect for your fellow musicians, the coach, and the music. Ensembles begin promptly at the scheduled start time and you may be marked absent, unexcused if you are more than 10 minutes late to rehearsal.

If you feel you have a valid reason for a late arrival (circumstances completely out of your control), please send your explanation to your coach and the Administrative Director via email on the day of that rehearsal. Latenesses are not often excused. The ensemble coach and Administrative Director will make that decision at their discretion.

Studio Conflicts

Lateness, early exit, or absence due to conflicts with studio, including make-up lessons, will not be excused. Conservatory faculty are aware of this policy, and students are expected to work with their instructors to ensure that neither regular nor make-up lessons conflict with the student’s ensemble obligations. It is also important that students schedule their degree recitals and dress rehearsals such that no conflicts are created with any ensemble rehearsal or performance, as no excuse requests will be approved under these circumstances.

Time Off Requests/Procedure

Short-term – If you anticipate absence from an ensemble for a short-term professional obligation (6 consecutive class days or less), you must submit a written request to be excused to the Administrative Director at least three weeks prior to the date of the potential missed rehearsal(s). It is the departments’ prerogative whether such absence is excusable or not. If your request to be excused is not granted, you will be expected to be present at that rehearsal and will be marked with an unexcused absence if not present.

Long-term – Students engaging in long-term professional obligations (6 consecutive class days or more), should consult with their advisor and studio teacher to explore options, including a professional leave, leave of absence, or changing their status to Inactive.

GRADING POLICY

Your participation in ensembles will be evaluated at the end of each semester as follows:

Honors (P+) – Indicates a recognition by the coach of the highest degree of excellence performance, dedication, attendance, and contribution to the ensemble. To receive honors, you must have an excellent attendance record, with no more than 2 excused absences*

* Excused absences for jury duty or religious observances will be disregarded for grading purposes

Pass (P) – Indicates that the student has met all expectations in terms of performance and commitment to the ensemble, with no more than 2 excused absences*

*Excused absences for jury duty or religious observances will be disregarded for grading purposes

Pass with Reservations (P-) – Indicates that the student has participated or performed in the ensemble at an unsatisfactory level or if your attendance record includes the equivalent of 1 or more unexcused absences (3 unexcused latenesses count as one absence).

* If a student receives P- or lower in one or more ensembles, they may not be able to participate in a CMA department concert, considered for large ensembles, or considered for an honors ensemble in the following year.

Fail (F*) – Indicates that the student has failed to meet the obligations to the ensemble; an “F*” will appear on the transcript and no ensemble credit is awarded.

Your attendance record is one of several factors which contribute to your semester’s evaluation.

Grounds for failure include:

• Attendance infraction of 1 unexcused absence or more, including tardiness.

• Any absence or lateness from a performance, dress rehearsal, or recording session.

• Any falsification of the attendance record.

• ANY FAILURE TO NOTIFY THE ENSEMBLE OFFICE IN ADVANCE OF AN ABSENCE

• MISREPRESENTATION OF CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING AN ABSENCE

JAZZ & CMA HONORS ENSEMBLES

At the beginning of each year two small ensembles of up to five members are selected as our Jazz and CMA Honors Ensembles. These ensembles each receive a stipend for performing throughout the school year at special functions and perform in a Jordan Hall concert in the Spring. Specific guidelines/requirements will be shared in early September. All members must be full-time NEC students in a degree or diploma program (no SCE Certificate, Prep or Artist Diploma) and no individual may audition in more than two groups. Once determined, this date cannot be changed, and availability for this date is a prerequisite for auditioning for these ensembles.

The deadline for submitted recordings for both Jazz Honors and CMA Ensembles is Friday, October 17 at 6pm.

Finalists for the CMA Ensemble will have a live audition on Tuesday, October 28 between 9 and 10am.

CMA WORKSHOP

All CMA students will be enrolled in a 0-credit course entitled CMA Workshop, meeting on Tuesday mornings in Eben Jordan, led by CMA faculty Eden MacAdam-Somer, Hankus Netsky, Anthony Coleman, and Lautaro Mantilla. During these meetings we put together our CMA department concerts and work on other special projects. You will have opportunities to participate by listening, proposing your own pieces, collaborating with other ensembles, or working with the production team. You may find yourself more involved in some concerts than others. We invite you to listen, contemplate, question, and dive into creation in areas that you feel most comfortable, most challenged, most curious, etc etc etc.

These meetings are a significant part of our program, and all CMA students are expected to attend regularly. If you have questions or concerns about scheduling, please speak with Eden. 

JAZZ & CMA STUDIO INSTRUCTION

Studio instructors are assigned by the Department Chair with final approval by the Dean.  In most cases we can give you your first or second choices. When we can’t accommodate all the student requests, we decide based on faculty availability, faculty preference, seniority, and the educational appropriateness of the request. 

You are entitled to 14 hours of private lesson time per semester for 4 credits of Studio. In most cases, this means one hour per week.  Many students choose to work with one instructor; others may divide their lesson time equally between two different teachers. In many cases the lessons are split between instrumental work and improvisation, composition, or ear training.  Some students also ask to split their studio time between a jazz teacher and a classical teacher.

Because of their schedules, some instructors are only available for 2 credits (7 hours per semester) of studio instruction.  If you choose one of these teachers, you must also choose a second teacher for the remaining two credits.

Studio Instruction Guidelines

Please do not schedule lessons until Studio Assignments have been posted. Check to see who your teacher is first. Studio assignments are made by the department chair, not by the individual teacher. For most teachers, 7 one-hour lessons per semester is equal to 2 credits or half-time studio.

Knowing when and where your lessons are is your responsibility.

Give at least 24 hours’ notice to your teacher if you can't attend a lesson due to illness.  Make-up lessons are at the discretion of the teacher.

If you have a problem with your studio that you are unable to resolve, contact Rich Frost.

The Jazz and CMA Departments will not be held accountable for any missed lessons due to lack of communication on the student’s part.

Any change requests from the fall to spring semester must be submitted by the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

PROMOTIONALS & PORTFOLIO REVIEWS

Promotionals are like jury exams at other schools, except that NEC’s Jazz and CMA promotionals use recorded performances rather than having you play “live” for the panel.  You will receive a pass-fail Promotional grade.  The faculty panel will discuss your recording with you and make suggestions for future study and practice.

Everyone (except Performance majors who are graduating in the spring) must attend a Promotional Evaluation or Portfolio Review at their posted, assigned time on May 11-13, 2026. No earlier dates are available. Failure to show up on time will result in a failing grade and probation status. It is not possible to withdraw from Promotional in a semester in which you are taking Studio. CMA promotionals will take place via zoom.

JAZZ MAJORS: Prepare two brief recorded examples (total 8 minutes or less) of your best work from this school year which is directly relevant to your major (including improvised jazz solos and instrumental ability for jazz performance majors; jazz compositions for jazz composition majors) and to the work you are doing in studio lessons. Play your promotional recordings for your studio teacher before the Promotional, if at all possible, in order to get their feedback on whether the recording is adequate and whether it represents your best playing.

Jazz performance majors should include at least one selection on which they improvise on “changes,” i.e., a traditional jazz harmonic structure and form.  (Juniors and Masters students may see Ken Schaphorst and Anna Webber in advance for permission if they want to be excused from this requirement, but exceptions are rare.)  Please note that you will be judged more on the quality of your improvisation and singing or playing than on the complexity of the piece you attempt.  Bass players and drummers should include a good example of their accompanying or time-playing as well as one or two solos.  Your choice for the second piece is up to you.  Many people choose to use excerpts of Jazz Ensembles or other NEC concerts, but you can arrange your own recording session if you wish.

Jazz composition majors must submit recordings of 4-minute excerpts from two compositions (or two 4-minute excerpts from one longer composition) and bring two copies of each of the complete scores from which the recorded excerpts are drawn.  You are welcome to bring additional scores without recordings, but the two main pieces that you bring to your promotional, and all the pieces in your graduation portfolio review, must be accompanied by recordings. If you are working on an orchestral piece and you are not able to arrange a reading, you may petition to the chairperson, in advance, asking to have this requirement waived for that piece.

Remember that all Jazz Composition majors are required to have one of their compositions performed in public during the school year by either the Jazz Composers’ Workshop Orchestra or the Jazz Composers’ Ensemble, and to have a recording made of the performance. The composition must be a recent one, completed within the year prior to the performance. In many cases, you will want to use this recording for your promotional or graduation portfolio review.  Submit the recording and a concert program (if there is one) to the department chair at or before your May promotional or graduation portfolio review (unless the chairperson was present at the performance). The performances may take place at NEC in a concert or recital, or off campus at a concert, recital, or club.  The only requirement is that a listening audience should be present.

Graduating Jazz Composition majors in all degree programs will have a Portfolio Review, which is required for graduation. You should bring all the pieces you have completed while at NEC with recordings. Bring two copies of as many of the scores as possible. A non-required recital may be substituted as for the portfolio review.

CMA MAJORS: CMA promotionals will take place over zoom. In early May, each student will submit two recordings from NEC performances that took place during the year, along with a short essay, all of which will be reviewed by faculty. In the promotional meeting, students will discuss these materials and other work from the previous year with a panel of CMA faculty. Students will receive their written evaluations in an email from the Office of Student Services. Students who do not pass their promotional for any reason will be given specific guidelines and assigned a re-hearing date in the following semester. 

Promotional Essays (an essential requirement for all students taking Contemporary Musical Arts promotionals) are due no later than noon on Thursday, May 7, 2026. Students should write a brief (2 - 3) page paper (12pt font, double-spaced) about the details of your work over the past two semesters, including:

• a self-evaluation of what you’ve accomplished in your studio lessons

• a self-evaluation of the work you’ve accomplished in ensembles, classes, and lessons

• highlights of your NEC experience over the past year

• goals and objectives for your next year of study

• studio teacher requests for next year

• Save document as “YOUR NAME P2025” in a pdf format

Promotional Recordings – also due Thursday, May 7, 2026. 

Submit two recordings that highlight some of your work at NEC over the past year, drawing on ensemble or JH concerts, special class projects, pieces you have developed in studio lessons, or other projects that reflect the work you have engaged with at NEC. These must be pieces/excerpts in which you are the primary soloist, arranger, and/or musical director. Your total submission should be under 8 minutes.

Please submit the following:

• One of the pieces should be your own interpretation of a pre-existent composition – that is, a rendition of the piece showing your original musical vision and expressing what you think of as your own musical personality.

• Your second piece can be an original composition, another personal interpretation of a pre-existent composition (for example, an ensemble piece that features you), or a structured improvisation that draws on a rhythmic or melodic motif or a specific conceptual, theoretical and/or a compositional model.

APPLYING TO NEW DEGREE/DIPLOMA
Students who are graduating from one degree or diploma program and would like to continue their studies at NEC in another program must submit a new application by December 1 and perform a new audition in February. The application fee is reduced by half for current students, and some supplemental application materials (such as the writing sample and TOEFL exam) and the pre-screening may be waived. Please visit the Office of Admission (St Botolph Room 101) for more information. Re-applicants will be considered for a new financial aid & scholarship package and must complete the financial aid application process.

STUDENT EMPLOYMENT

NEC has two student employment programs: The Federal College Work-Study (FCWS) Program and the Student Aid Program. Students deemed eligible for work-study program have an FCWS award as part of their financial aid package. The Student Aid Program provides job opportunities for those who do not qualify for Federal Work-Study with priority given to that ineligible to work off-campus or who have special skills.

NEC offers a variety of jobs for students. They range from assisting the concert halls crew to library attendants to office assistants. Positions may be found in the student employment want-ads handout available through the Financial Aid Office. In addition, many departments advertise for student help by posting notices by the statue of Beethoven, the Jordan Hall bulletin boards, or their own office bulletin boards. You may also wish to drop in at the offices to see if they have any openings. Popular places students work include Spaulding Library, Firestone Library, the Audio Department, the Music-In-Education Office, the Admissions Office, and Jordan Hall (as concert ushers).

Some courses at NEC have teaching assistants. The Music History department is always looking for T.A.’s. Other departments that commonly have T.A.’s is Jazz, Music Theory, Contemporary Musical Arts, and English as a Second Language. Check the student employment want-ads for availability and/or approach the appropriate department or faculty member (if it is a particular course) and ask if they are looking for a T.A.

For more information on student employment, please consult the Student Employment Handbook available through the Financial Aid Office.