Jazz at New England Conservatory: A Timeline of Significant Events

1969 NEC President Gunther Schuller hires saxophonist Carl Atkins to head Department of African-American Music and Jazz Studies, the first such program at a classical conservatory. Composer George Russell and pianist Jaki Byard on Atkins' faculty.
1974 Pianist Ran Blake forms Third Stream Department.

Pianist Jaki Byard, trombonist Phil Wilson, and composer/arranger Ernie Wilkins chair jazz program while Carl Atkins completes master’s degree in wind ensemble conducting.

1978 Composer William Thomas McKinley hired as Jazz Studies Chair

1981 Percussionist/arranger Pat Hollenbeck ’78 hired as Jazz Studies Chair

1983 Bassist Miroslav Vitous hired as Jazz Studies Chair.

1986 Miles Davis receives honorary Doctor of Music degree.

Composer/reed player Hankus Netsky ’76, ’78 MM, hired as Jazz Studies Chair.

Jaki Byard big-band residency.

1987 Sy Johnson big-band residency.

1989 Gerald Wilson big-band residency.

1989 Third Stream vocalist Dominique Eade ’82, ’89 A.D. is the first improvisation student to graduate from the Artist Diploma program.

1989 Improvisation Festival featuring Kenny Barron, Dave Holland and Lewis Nash in newly commissioned Stan Getz piece “Can You Sing Me A Song.” Also included on the Festival were Dominique Eade with Ran Blake on “You Stepped Out of A Dream” orchestrated by Daryl Lowery, and a tribute to George Russell in honor of his 20th year on the faculty.

1990 Cecil Taylor in two-week residency working daily with students toward their performance of his “Burning Poles” piece.

1990 Randy Weston and Melba Liston big-band residency.

1991 Drummer Grisha Alexiev ’91 A.D. is the first Jazz Studies major to graduate from the Artist Diploma program.

Slide Hampton big-band residency.

1992 Sun Ra and his Arkestra work with NEC students in 2-day residency.

Jimmy Heath big-band residency.

1993 Gunther Schuller big-band residency.

1994 Muhal Richard Abrams big-band residency.

1995 Saxophonist Michael Rossi receives Doctor of Musical Arts, one of four in the program’s first graduating class.

Seven-student ensemble joins entering fall class as part of NEC’s four-year collaboration with Thelonious Monk Institute.

Third Stream Department changes name to Contemporary Improvisation. C.I. and Jazz majors share freshman curriculum.

Claire Fischer big-band residency.

1996 Saxophonist Allan Chase ’80 hired as Jazz Studies Chair.

1998 Improvisation Festival with 11 free concerts featuring musicians including trombonist George Lewis, composer George Russell, baroque organist William Porter, pianist Michael Cain, trombonist Curtis Fuller, pianist Paul Bley, percussionist Bob Moses, guitarist Mick Goodrick and vocalist Dominique Eade, Turkish music with Bob Labaree, Peter Row on sitar, and much more.

1999 Funding from the Helen G. Hauben Foundation supports creation of Jazz Master residency program at NEC.

2001 Trumpeter and composer Ken Schaphorst ‘84 M.M. hired as Jazz Studies Chair.

2002 Soprano saxophone great and MacArthur “Genius” Grant winner Steve Lacy returns from 33-year residence in Paris to take his first teaching position at NEC.

2004 NEC becomes partner in the Panama Jazz Festival, sending a group of students each year to perform, teach and do outreach.

2005 Jimmy Earl Foundation begins its support for bassist/composer Dave Holland’s position as Visiting Artist-in-Residence.

2006 NEC awards first Helena Foundation Presidential Scholarship, the first full tuition scholarship in jazz. The first recipient is Dominik Wania ’08 M.M., a pianist.

2008 NEC Preparatory School Creates Youth Jazz Orchestra under direction of Ken Schaphorst.
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=34855