Music Department

EOU Jazz Ensemble

The EOU Jazz Ensemble, directed by Dr. Matt Cooper, is a large jazz combo of EOU students which is open to students on any instrument, including voice. The ensemble focuses on standard jazz repertoire from all eras, with an emphasis on post-bop modern jazz. The ensemble performs at least one concert per term, and participates yearly in the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in Moscow, Idaho. In addition, the ensemble invites regional and national jazz artists to campus for clinic and/or concerts. 

Guest artists who have presented clinics and/or performed in concert at EOU include:

EOU Jazz Ensemble alums have been accepted to masters programs and awarded teaching assistantships in Jazz Studies at major universities, played jazz professionally in nightclubs and on cruise ships worldwide, and taught music privately or through Community Schools or university music programs. In 1995, pianist Tim Moses won both the Outstanding College Pianist and Outstanding College Instrumentalist awards at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, and several other students have been awarded Outstanding Soloist certificates.