Jazz
Our thriving jazz program has 3 big bands and 7-9 small combos open to all UM students. The University of Montana School of Music offers a Bachelors of Arts in Jazz Studies degree. Courses offered include an improvisation sequence, jazz composing and arranging, jazz pedagogy, jazz history, and private jazz lessons.
The Jazz Artists’ Series welcomes world class jazz performers to campus each semester for masterclasses and performances. Held each spring, the University of Montana Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival features prominent performers and educators as well as hundreds of students. All of our groups have the opportunity to perform with guest artists throughout the year, and the groups frequently perform on and off campus. We hope you will join us in the UM Jazz Program.
Dr. Robert LedBetter
Professor of Percussion Studies
Contact
- Office
- Room 9, School of Music
- Phone
- 406-303-1509
- Fax
- 406-243-2441
- robert.ledbetter@umontana.edu
- Office Hours
By appointment
- Curriculum Vitae
- View/Download CV
Personal Summary
Dr. Robert LedBetter is Professor of Music at The University of Montana where he is Director of Percussion Studies. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Percussion Performance from the University of North Texas, a M.M. in Percussion Performance from the University of Akron, and a B.M. in Music Education from Mars Hill College. He remains active as a performer, clinician, guest conductor and adjudicator throughout the Northwest.
Prior to his appointment at UM in 1990, Dr. LedBetter taught at Eastern New Mexico University, Tarleton State University, Navarro College and held a Teaching Fellowship at the University of North Texas for four years. He is an active drumset player, percussionist and steel pan player in a variety of performing groups in the area. One of his groups, Salsa Loca, was featured on the Montana PBS show 11th & Grant and a full video of their show can be viewed at: http://watch.montanapbs.org/show/11th-and-grant/. In addition, he is Principal Timpanist in the Missoula Symphony Orchestra and a frequent performer on faculty solo and chamber recitals at UM. As a member of the All-Star Trio at the UM Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festivals, Bob had the distinct pleasure to play with some of the top names in the world of jazz including Buddy DeFranco, Arturo Sandoval, Michael & Randy Brecker, Lee Konitz, Clark Terry, Bob Mintzer, Bob Berg, Slide Hampton, Terry Gibbs and David Samuels. He is endorsed by Yamaha Percussion, Zildjian Cymbals, Latin Percussion, Inc. and Innovative Percussion.
The University of Montana Percussion area has developed into one of the strongest and most comprehensive programs in the Northwest. Top percussion performers and artists from around the world perform regularly as guest on UM percussion concerts and UM students have gone on to prestigious graduate schools and performing careers. In addition to the in-depth study of concert and jazz percussion, students at UM learn to perform the music of other cultures through performing in the Islanders Steel Band, West African Drum Ensemble, Salsa Band, Brazilian Ensemble, Mexican Marimba band and the Jaya Budaya Balinese Gamelan Orchestra (Indonesian percussion orchestra). Members of the gamelan have traveled to Bali, Indonesia in 2012 and 2016 with the next trip slated for 2020. The University of Montana Islanders Steel Band has released three CD recordings entitled, Summer Songs, Pandemonium and A Steel Band Christmas. Check out our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/umontana.percussion/. Video recordings of our concerts can be found on youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwHzGSi014YKps_20PrJpTg
Education
Doctor of Musical Arts in Percussion Performance - University of North Texas
Master of Music in Percussion Performance - University of Akron
Bachelor of Music Education - Mars Hill College
Courses Taught
Applied Percussion
Percussion Ensemble
World Percussion Ensemble
Percussion Techniques
World Music
Affiliations
President, Montana Chapter of Percussive Arts Society
