Introduction
So you want to learn your trade in the jazz city in the Netherlands. You want to dive into the rich tradition of jazz and improvise to your heart’s content. You want to not just perform but also create and produce music.
At Codarts you can become a technically robust and creative musician in four years’ time. You take classes from renowned teachers and guest teachers, you play in ensembles, you learn how to compose and orchestrate, and you become familiar with a great variety of styles in music.
Be inspired by the lively jazz scene of Rotterdam, home of the world-famous North Sea Jazz Festival and the Jazz Day. There are many jazz sessions in the city every day: great opportunities for gaining stage experience.
Our main subjects are: bass guitar, double bass, drums, flute, guitar, piano, saxophone, trombone, trumpet, composition and voice.
Read moreYear 1 - 2
The first year is a broad introduction. The focus is on developing your technical skills.
- You play with two ensembles every week. One concentrates on instrument technique, the other on creating (composition/orchestration).
- An important subject this first year is solfège. A well-trained hearing is indispensable in improvisation.
- You work at crossovers with students of Latin music to stimulate your versatility as a musician.
- You study recording techniques and engage in repertoire research. Your new knowledge is immediately put to practical use.
During the second year you will become increasingly independent as a performing musician.
- Together with your fellow students you organise various performances and a festival in Rotterdam.
- You take part in events such as North Sea Round Town and the Jazz Day (the biggest jazz networking day of the Netherlands).
- You learn how to pass on knowledge in an educational setting by coaching bands of fellow students and/or doing an internship in music education, also for non-professionals.
- You study a great variety of styles in music and take part in cross-over projects.
- You take classes in entrepreneurship and learn how to pitch a project.
Year 3 - 4
The third year’s focus is on your own unique personality as a performer.
- You choose a number of minors that can help deepen or broaden your profile.
- In the ensemble projects, special attention is paid to developing your own style (from traditional bebop to a modern mix of genres).
- Your teachers increasingly become ‘coaches’. It is up to you to express what you wish to learn.
- During the second semester you pitch an idea for your graduation research. This consists of a theoretical part (a paper) and a practical part (presentation). This combination demonstrates that you have a mature view of your profession and are capable of doing research at a high level.
During the fourth year you concentrate on your graduation. You may also choose additional minors.
- In the first semester you complete your graduation research.
- You produce your own music, resulting in an audio recording and (optionally) an accompanying video production. This shows what you have learned about recording techniques and new media. This project is part of the assessment with regard to your graduation.
- In the second semester you present yourself as a performer at your graduation concert. In roughly an hour you demonstrate your skills and your own unique personality.
Double Degree
Do you have an artistic or a musical talent, as well as a hunger for academic knowledge? You can now mix arts and academia in metropolitan Rotterdam. Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), Willem de Kooning Academy (WdKA) and Codarts offer you the possibility to combine theory and practice in a five-year Double Degree programme.
The Double Degree programmes allow you to simultaneously develop your artistic or musical talent, as well as your academic ambitions. After completing the Double Degree programme you will receive two bachelor degrees: one from Erasmus University Rotterdam (Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science) and one from Codarts or WdKA (Bachelor of Music or Bachelor of Arts). The length of the programme is five years.
For more information, click here.
After graduation
After your graduation you will be a great musicians with a high artistic and entrepreneurial level. You are able to create your own place in the music industry and are active across the entire musical practice. Often you combine different qualities: playing in a band or as a soloist, working on music productions or working as a music teacher. During you study you will get to know our extensive network in the music industry from which you can benefit after you graduation. Some of our students continued their studies with a Master of Music.
Jimmi Hueting (graduation year 2015), Jo Goes Hunting
“That’s one of the things I learned during my Jazz study: played live, music can live, breeze and change. It may overwhelm and surprise you.” Click here for the interview with Jimmi.
