Join us for the Summer Jazz Camp June 16-21, 2025
Students in grades 7-12 are invited to our campus for a fun week of learning skills concerning jazz combo performance and improvisation.
Camp Details
Monday through Friday
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.. Treadaway Hall
Saturday
10:00 AM Concert, Tom and Mona Mengler Conference Room (University Center)
St. Mary’s University Summer Jazz Camp
Join us for a structured week of jazz combo rehearsals, instrumental masterclasses, jazz improvisation and theory workshops, guided listening sessions, daily performances by members of the St. Mary’s Jazz Faculty, and a final concert.
The Jazz Camp is open to middle school and high school students in grades 7-12.
Jazz Combo Rehearsal: Students will meet as part of a jazz combo rehearsing music in preparation for an end of the week performance. Students will be able to work with a high-quality member of the St. Mary’s Jazz Faculty in preparation for the concert.
Instrumental Master Classes: Each student (saxophone, trumpet, trombone, guitar, bass, drums) will meet together with their instrument-specific Jazz Faculty teacher to learn fundamentals specific to their instrument. The focus will be on advancing each student’s playing abilities in a jazz context.
Guided Listening/Improvisation/Jazz Theory: Students will explore the basics of learning how to listen to seminal recordings within the jazz tradition and learn to improvise in a small group jazz setting. For beginner, intermediate, and advanced students, these sessions center more specifically on learning and advancing fundamentals and techniques to enhance the students’ skills concerning jazz improvisation. Members of the Jazz Faculty will also supplement each of the students with jazz theory material (e.g., improvisation patterns, chord voicings, etc.).
Placement Auditions
The first day of jazz camp will include placement auditions to ensure that each student is placed in the appropriate jazz combo that affords them the best opportunity for advancing as a musician. The placement auditions are supportive and encouraging and will help our Jazz Faculty place students in jazz combos that will allow them to have the best experience at camp. Audition material will be made available at a later date.
Horns (Saxophones, Trumpets, Trombones, and others)
- Play the following scales:
- Prepared Melody: Sonnymoon for Two by Sonny Rollins (play melody TWICE)
Use the following links to prepare for Sonnymoon for Two:
- Sonnymoon for Two Reference Recording
Guitar, Piano, and Bass
- Play the following scales:
- Prepared Melody: Sonnymoon for Two by Sonny Rollins (play melody TWICE)
Use the following links to prepare for Sonnymoon for Two:
- Sonnymoon for Two Reference Recording
Drums
- Drummers should play examples of the following styles:
- Swing (play one chorus of 12-Bar Blues; quarter note equals 100 beats per minute)
- Bossa Nova (play sixteen measures; quarter note equals 104 beats per minute)
Use the following links in preparing to play the styles listed above:
- Jazz Blues Play-Along (Swing; twelve measures; quarter note equals 100 beats per minute)
- Bossa Nova Play-Along (sixteen measures; quarter note equals 104 beats per minute)
Beginner Level
Horns (Saxophones, Trumpets, Trombones, and others)
- Play the following scales:
- Prepared Melody: Bags’ Groove by Milt Jackson (play melody TWICE followed by TWO improvised choruses)
Use the following links to prepare for Bags’ Groove:
- Bags’ Groove Reference Recording
Guitar, Piano, and Bass
- Play the following scales:
- Prepared Melody: Bags’ Groove by Milt Jackson (play melody TWICE followed by TWO improvised choruses)
Use the following links to prepare for Bags’ Groove:
- Bags’ Groove Reference Recording
Drums
- Drummers should play examples of the following styles:
- Bags’ Groove (Swing; play four choruses of 12-Bar Blues; quarter note equals 110 beats per minute)
- Bossa Nova (play thirty-two measures; quarter note equals 122 beats per minute)
Use the following links in preparing to play the styles listed above:
- Bags’ Groove Play-Along (forty-eight measures; quarter note equals 110 beats per minute)
- Bossa Nova Play-Along (thirty-two measures; quarter note equals 122 beats per minute)
Intermediate Level
Horns (Saxophones, Trumpets, Trombones, and others)
- Prepared Melody 1: Doxy by Sonny Rollins (play melody TWICE followed by TWO improvised choruses)
- Prepared Melody 2: Blue Bossa by Kenny Dorham (play melody TWICE followed by TWO improvised choruses)
Use the following links to prepare for Doxy:
- Doxy Reference Recording
Use the following links to prepare for Blue Bossa:
- Blue Bossa Reference Recording
- Blue Bossa Play-Along
Guitar, Piano, and Bass
- Prepared Melody 1: Doxy by Sonny Rollins (play melody TWICE followed by TWO improvised choruses)
- Prepared Melody 2: Blue Bossa by Kenny Dorham (play melody TWICE followed by TWO improvised choruses)
Use the following links to prepare for Doxy:
- Doxy Reference Recording
Use the following links to prepare for Blue Bossa:
- Blue Bossa Reference Recording
- Blue Bossa Play-Along
Drums
- Drummers should play examples of the following styles:
- Doxy (Swing; play four choruses of a 16-Bar Form; quarter note equals 130 beats per minute)
- Ballad with Brushes (play sixteen measures; quarter note equals 65 beats per minute)
- Blue Bossa (play four choruses; quarter note equals 155 beats per minute)
Use the following links in preparing to play the styles listed above:
- Doxy Play-Along (sixty-four measures; quarter note equals 130 beats per minute)
- In a Sentimental Mood Play-Along (Ballad; sixteen measures with brushes; quarter note equals 65 beats per minute)
- Blue Bossa Play-Along (sixty-four measures; quarter note equals 155 beats per minute)
Advanced Level
Camp Schedule 2025
Opening Monday, June 16
| 9 a.m. | Welcome and Registration at Pecan Grove |
| 9:30 a.m. | Placement Auditions |
| 11:30 a.m. | Lunch |
| 1 p.m. | Jazz Faculty Performance |
| 2:30 p.m. | Jazz Combo Rehearsals (students receive folders with music) |
Tuesday June 17, to Friday, June 20
| 9 a.m. | Instrumental Masterclass |
| 10 a.m. | Jazz Combo Rehearsals |
| 11:30 a.m. | Lunch |
| 12:45 p.m. | Guided Listening/Improvisation/Jazz Theory |
| 2 p.m. | Jazz Combo Rehearsals |
| 3:15 p.m. | Jazz Faculty Performance |
Saturday, June 21
| 10 a.m. | Concert featuring the Summer Jazz Camp Combos |
Camp Fee
Commuter Option: $300 per Student
Residential Option: $450.00 per Student
Includes camp tuition, lunch Monday through Friday, sheet music, folder, badge with name and schedule, bottled water, and jazz camp T-shirt.
Optional Fees
We officially open the band camp at 8:00 AM and require students to be picked up at the conclusion of the day by 4:00 PM every Monday to Friday. However, we can accommodate parents and guardians needing an earlier arrival and/or later pickup times.
$30.00 Early Arrival: 8:00 AM to 8:45 AM
$30.00 Late Pick-up: 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
NOTE: Fees are a one-time total for the week.
Contact
For more information about the St. Mary’s University Summer Jazz Camp, contact Adrian Ruiz, D.M.A., Director of Jazz Studies.
Adrian Ruiz, Ph.D.
Director of Jazz Studies
St. Mary’s University
aruiz22@stmarytx.edu
210-436-3011, Ext. 1386