WMU Jazz Studies

WMU Jazz Studies WMU has gained international recognition for its innovative approach to jazz education.

05/25/2026

Spring 2026 Studio Transcription Day!

Some great work here. Noah Ostrom on clarinet! Noah Leyrer was at a wedding, so he sent in a video of him shredding Immanuel Wilkins.

Haden Bovee and Max Pastore did the first tag-team Coltrane/Cannonball on Two Bass Hit (alt take).

WMU College of Fine Arts
The Irving S. Gilmore School of Music

WMU’s Advanced Jazz Ensemble performed their original compositions at both Northview and Byron Center High Schools this ...
05/10/2026

WMU’s Advanced Jazz Ensemble performed their original compositions at both Northview and Byron Center High Schools this week. Both are wonderful programs in the Grand Rapids area, and the students in attendance were attentive and engaged.

WMU College of Fine Arts
The Irving S. Gilmore School of Music

Appearing with two ensembles from Community High School directed by Jack Wagner, WMU’s Advanced Jazz Ensemble played a s...
05/10/2026

Appearing with two ensembles from Community High School directed by Jack Wagner, WMU’s Advanced Jazz Ensemble played a set of their originals in Ann Arbor at Kerrytown Concert House on Wednesday night.

WMU College of Fine Arts
The Irving S. Gilmore School of Music

AJE at Thornapple Arts Council Jazz Festival
05/05/2026

AJE at Thornapple Arts Council Jazz Festival

04/22/2026

On Sunday April 19th Western Michigan Universities Advanced Jazz Ensemble directed by Dr. Andrew Rathbun, performed a program of all original music composed and workshopped over the Spring Semester. Working on composing extended forms and developing ideas into longer structures, the students came up with a dynamic program that they will be presenting on their MI tour in the coming weeks.

WMU College of Fine Arts
The Irving S. Gilmore School of Music

WMU Jazz’s Advanced Jazz Ensemble is looking forward to some upcoming concerts. The septet has been preparing a set of o...
04/14/2026

WMU Jazz’s Advanced Jazz Ensemble is looking forward to some upcoming concerts. The septet has been preparing a set of original student-driven creative work that explores a blend of composition and improvisation seamlessly, with performers shaping the material from the inside. The music tends to draw from modern jazz language and the pieces frequently incorporate open forms, odd-meters, rhythmic flexibility, and harmonic ingenuity.

WMU College of Fine Arts
The Irving S. Gilmore School of Music

04/14/2026

WMU Jazz Lab Band under the direction of Prof. Carlo De Rosa gave a spirited performance Tuesday night with pieces by Cedar Walton, Bob Mintzer and Randy Brecker, and included some Afro-Latin infused works by the likes of Ray Santos (3D Mambo).

WMU College of Fine Arts
The Irving S. Gilmore School of Music

04/05/2026

Noah Leyrer RIPPING through an Immanuel Wilkins transcription from his performance on NPR’s Series!

WMU College of Fine Arts
The Irving S. Gilmore School of Music

03/31/2026

On March 24th WMU Jazz’s Combo Program gave its annual Spring Showcase. All of our 14 groups performed a wide array of music –– from Thelonious Monk to Stevie Wonder, and original compositions. Rather than a concert with a single ensemble, this performance unfolds as a collage of different musical worlds, shaped by each group of improvisers. These combos are coached by faculty, but the students are the ones who are decide the direction of the group and its choice of repertoire. It was another wonderful evening!

WMU College of Fine Arts
The Irving S. Gilmore School of Music

Day Fall 2025
12/22/2025

Day Fall 2025

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Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI
49008

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