Thanks to an era of smart leadership and creative collaborations, jazz is center stage at Old Dominion University.
Students can now earn a Bachelor of Music in jazz studies, transforming what was once a concentration into a standalone major designed to prepare graduates for careers as professional musicians.
“There are great jazz programs in Virginia, but nothing in south Hampton Roads specific to jazz in terms of a full program,” said Douglas Owens, D.A., the University’s F. Ludwig Diehn Endowed Chair in Music and director of the Old Dominion University Jazz Orchestra.
“This major indicates that we are student-focused, that we're listening to the students in terms of their interests. It also sets us up well for the future,” said Dr. Owens, who built the jazz studies curriculum. “It’s really going to serve a great purpose.”
When student saxophone player Jayce Whiddon heard about the new major, he knew it was right for him.
“I was already playing in the Jazz Combo and Jazz Orchestra, and I was having a great time in those,” said Jayce, a junior who switched to the new major from sound recording technology. “My big dream is to be able to just go around the world performing jazz,” he said. “That's the big goal.”
An admirer of top-notch sax players including Patrick Bartley and Joel Frahm, Jayce puts in the work to make his dream real. “I enjoy pushing myself because I’m not going to get better otherwise. If you're not being challenged, you aren't improving.”
Within the new major, Old Dominion University jazz lovers like Jayce explore the all-American art form pioneered by greats such as Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and John Coltrane. The goal is for students to emerge with the tools and skills needed to build fruitful careers and, potentially, move the tradition forward. The jazz studies program stresses creative performance, improvisation and expression.
Courses range from keyboard techniques and arranging to pedagogy and conducting. A jazz performance workshop class introduces students to Afro-Cuban, Brazilian and other jazz-adjacent styles and teaches players how to mix them into their own musicianship.
Overall, the program aims to create well-rounded, capable players and singers who can thrive in an ever-changing musical marketplace.
“We’re opening up a new avenue, a new opportunity for kids that hasn’t been available,” said Professor of Jazz Studies John Toomey. “And our students get hands-on experience. If they show any level of interest, they’re going to have an opportunity to work through gigs or internships. They get a lot of opportunities.”
Professor Toomey, who taught at the University for 36 years, created an atmosphere in the F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music that helped the music flourish. Aside from directing the University’s Jazz Combo and Jazz Choir, he organized and led workshops, residencies and collaborative concerts featuring world-class jazz players and singers — often backing them on piano.
The list of top jazz musicians who have taught masterclasses at Old Dominion University is long: John Fedchock, Rex Richardson, Chris Whiteman, John Abercrombie, Kenny Washington, Lisanne Lyons, John D’earth, Randy Brecker and Clark Terry. The annual Old Dominion University Jazz Residency gives students a chance to get personal coaching from professional players through workshops, clinics and concerts. Also, the school hosts regular clinics through a long-standing partnership with the Virginia Arts Festival.
“John really is the foundation for this in terms of his superb musicianship and his life spent in jazz and teaching jazz,” Dr. Owens said. “I envision always having somebody whose focus is jazz and to be the director of jazz studies.”
Coincidentally, Professor Toomey and Dr. Owens both plan to retire this summer, which means they will not be on the bandstand as the jazz studies continues its upward swing. Still, they’re proud of what jazz has become at the University.
“This type of foundation, this tradition, is important,” Dr. Owens said. “We want to see it continue to grow.”
Learn more about jazz studies at Old Dominion University the https://catalog.odu.edu/undergraduate/arts-letters/music/jazz-studies-bm/https://catalog.odu.edu/undergraduate/arts-letters/music/jazz-studies-bm/
Top image: Jazz studies major and saxophone player Jayce Whiddon, right, looks on as visiting artist Rex Richardson plays trumpet solo during his 2026 residency at Old Dominion University. Image credit: John Toomey