Create it! Perform it! Record it!

Jazz. Popular. Technology.

Enjoying a reputation as northern New England’s preeminent modern music education resource, UMA’s music program offers concentrations in Performance, Sonic Arts and Composition, Music Education and Audio Technology.

Our renowned faculty, progressive program content, multi-stylistic approaches, highly personalized instruction, technical facilities and extremely competitive tuition have made UMA the prime choice for dedicated, motivated music students with a contemporary focus. Jazz and popular music are in the foreground in a forward-thinking program that prizes individual creativity and contemporary musical thinking.

Our program also offers many benefits often absent at larger institutions: an optimum teacher to student ratio, small class size, highly personalized attention, supportive peer group, and easy commuting access. Simply put, UMA is a great place to become immersed in today's music, because the environment is nurturing, motivating and relaxed – a perfect mix for ensuring an enjoyable learning experience, year after year.

Once you graduate, the array of careers is limited only by your own creativity. Perhaps your desire is to perform regionally or nationally, become a studio session player, or compose popular tunes or symphonic works. Maybe teaching music courses in elementary, high school or college-level institutions is your direction. There is also the exciting world of music technology, with creative opportunities in recording, mastering, live sound, MIDI, broadcast media or sound track production. And for those with business interests, perhaps band and concert tour management, music and copyright law, promotion and marketing or even music instrument retail may be your career focus.

Whatever your direction, UMA’s music program will have you ready to play. 

Jazz & Contemporary Music program brochure » (PDF document)

 

 

 CONCERT/JAZZ WEEK Spring 2013

UMA Music is proud to present Concert Week, Spring 2013.  As always, each ensemble on campus will be playing during the week.  This semester we're joined by very special guests Michael Dease, and the Portland Jazz Orchestra. 

And, we'll be live streaming each night so you won't have to miss out if you can't make it to campus.  Simply click on http://webcast.uma.edu/livejazz and you'll be able to watch from the comfort of your own home.

The schedule:
Monday April 22
7pm Gary Clancy: Freshman Ensemble
8pm Bill Moseley: PUMA Ensemble

Tuesday April 23
7pm Tim Johnson: In-Tones Ensemble
8pm Bill Moseley: Panther Ensemble
9pm Josh DeScherer: Sonic Expressions Ensemble

Wednesday April 24
7pm UMA Big Band led by Tim Weir

8pm Portland Jazz Orchestra

The Portland Jazz Orchestra is Maine's premier jazz ensemble, playing big band classics and original music featuring some of the finest players, composers, and arrangers in the state. For more information, please visit http://www.portlandjazzorchestra.com/

Thursday April 25
7pm Marcia Gallagher: Envok Vocal Ensemble
8pm Sean Morin: Contemporary Sounds Ensemble

Friday April 26
7pm Scott Hughes: Progressive Rock Ensemble
8pm Dave Wells: Fusion Ensemble

Saturday April 27
7pm Steve Grover: UMA Jazz on Tour Ensemble, featuring special guest Michael Dease
8pm UMA Faculty Combo, featuring special guest Michael Dease

 

In just seven years on the New York scene, trombonist Michael Dease has appeared on over fifty albums as a sideman, performed in every major jazz venue, and worked alongside many of the giants of this music. And now his latest CD, Grace - Dease's fourth as a leader and his first for Jazz Legacy Productions - affords him a much deserved opportunity to display his musical range and versatility as an instrumentalist, thanks to the vision of bassist, producer, and the label's founder, John Lee. For more information on Michael, please visit http://www.mikedease.com/

 

 

UMA Music’s Course Concentrations:

UMA ensures a well-rounded and relevant education by providing a diverse array of concentrations reflecting performance, composition, recording technology or pedagogy. Designed to address your future career vision, there’s a concentration interest for any student wanting to study at UMA.

Performance Concentration:
Immersion in small-group jazz and contemporary music repertoire, theory and improvisation techniques.

Sonic Arts and Composition Concentration:
Interested in pursuing songwriting, computer-based music, popular, jazz or classical composition at the college level and recording your music in a professionally-equipped recording studio? Click here to begin a dialog with Professor Richard Nelson.

Education Concentration
Well-rounded preparation for State of Maine teacher certification, with an emphasis on jazz and contemporary music.

Audio Technology Concentration
Thorough training in analog/digital recording, engineering and mixing in a fully equipped professional studio.