EMC Instrumental Jazz

The EMC Instrumental Jazz Camp is open to students completing the 6th through 12th grades. This camp is designed to meet the needs of those students who are interested in jazz at all levels, providing an instructional and educational experience for both beginners and more advanced students. Students will have an opportunity to study jazz with EIU’s outstanding jazz faculty and other fine musicians from around the country.  Jazz Pianist

Students participate in the following: 

Students will be placed in a big band according to their current skill level by audition on the first day of camp. Please see the link below for instrument specific audition information. 

Audition Information

Participants will also have an opportunity to perform for family and friends at a final concert on Saturday, the last day of camp. 

Big band photo

About the Instrumental Jazz Camp Coordinator

Paul JohnstonPaul Johnston is an versatile pianist, composer, and educator whose music bridges jazz, classical, and contemporary styles. He has performed with leading artists across the country, and his compositions and arrangements are regularly featured by soloists, chamber groups, and jazz ensembles.  Alfred Music has published three collections of his solo piano arrangements.

A dedicated educator, Paul taught for a dozen summers at the Interlochen Center for the Arts. On the music faculty at Eastern Illinois University since 2004, he directs a jazz ensemble, coaches combos, and teaches jazz piano, improvisation, and arranging.
 
Paul earned degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Indiana University.  He is an alumnus of Ravinia's Steans Institute and the Henry Mancini Institute.

Jazz Camp Faculty

In addition to Paul Johnston, we are excited about the 2026 camp jazz faculty, which includes EIU faculty members Mark Lynch (saxophone), Connor Frederick (trombone), Scott Hesse (guitar), Jack Helsley (bass), and Jamie Ryan (drums).  Tom Birkner will also return this summer to lead a jazz ensemble and work with trumpet students.