Giant Steps Package - Stanford Jazz

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Giant Steps Package July 7 – 18 (no class on July 12)

Build Confidence and Advance Your Jazz Skills

Previous Next

1 2 3 4 5 6

Giant Steps Package July 7 – 18 (no class on July 12)

Build Confidence and Advance Your Jazz Skills

A two-week jazz adventure for middle school musicians

Ready to take your jazz skills to the next level? The Giant Steps Package is designed for middle school musicians who are eager to explore and grow. Over two exciting weeks, you’ll build a strong foundation in jazz—developing essential skills, learning to improvise, and playing in your own band with confidence. This immersive experience will fast-track your musical growth and fuel a passion for jazz that will keep you inspired long after camp ends.

Begin your experience with five days at Giant Steps Day Camp, where you’ll build a strong foundation in jazz improvisation and performance. Then, take it to the next level with six days at Jazz Camp, refining your skills through daily masterclasses, combo rehearsals, and theory classes—all in an inspiring, immersive environment.

The Giant Steps Package takes you on an exciting journey—from learning the fundamentals at Giant Steps Day Camp to applying your skills in live performance at Jazz Camp. Along the way, you’ll play in a band, refine your improvisation, and experience incredible performances by top artists at the Stanford Jazz Festival.

Your 11 days as part of the Giant Steps Package include:

Expert-Led Master Classes

Develop your instrumental technique and musicianship through intensive daily instruction from distinguished jazz faculty, designed to refine your sound and elevate your performance skills.

Tailored Instruction and Private Lessons

Receive personalized guidance from top jazz artists in masterclasses and ensemble rehearsals, ensuring instruction suited to your experience level. At Jazz Camp, individualized attention is enhanced with a private lesson to further support your growth.

Comprehensive Ensemble Training

At Giant Steps Day Camp, experience the energy of big band performance alongside the intimate collaboration of a small combo. At Jazz Camp, the focus shifts to small ensemble playing, allowing you to hone your listening skills and develop confidence as an improviser.

Developing Improvisational Skills

Improvisation is at the heart of the Giant Steps Package. Across all classes and rehearsals, you will be guided in cultivating creativity, spontaneity, and expressive soloing within a supportive environment.

A Safe and Supportive Learning Environment

We foster a secure and inclusive space where students can explore, learn, and grow as musicians while enjoying a positive and enriching camp experience.

A Fully Immersive Jazz Experience

Over the course of eleven days on the Stanford University campus, engage in a vibrant schedule of outdoor activities, social events, jam sessions, and performances at the Stanford Jazz Festival.

A Thriving Community of Young Musicians

Connect with dedicated young musicians from across the Bay Area, building friendships and musical collaborations that extend beyond the camp experience.

Showcase Performances

Each week of the Giant Steps Package concludes with a live performance, where students demonstrate their progress in front of family and an enthusiastic audience, celebrating their growth as jazz musicians.

Whether you’re a vocalist or an instrumentalist, Giant Steps Day Camp offers a fun and supportive environment to explore jazz and grow as a musician.

Develop your skills, build confidence, and gain a deeper appreciation for jazz that will carry you through your high school music program and beyond.

Whether you’re a vocalist or an instrumentalist, Giant Steps Day Camp offers a fun and supportive environment to explore jazz and grow as a musician.

Develop your skills, build confidence, and gain a deeper appreciation for jazz that will carry you through your high school music program and beyond.

Program details

Who is the Giant Steps Package for? What are the dates and times?Where is the Giant Steps package held?What is the cost of Jazz Camp?Is there an audition?What instruments are accepted?

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The Giant Steps Package is for current middle school vocalists and instrumentalists, and students entering middle school in the fall.

Week 1, Giant Steps Day Camp

July 7 – 11, 2025
Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Showcase performance on Friday, July 11: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Supervision and late pickup option from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. is available.

Week 2, Jazz Camp

July 13 – 18, 2025
Sunday from check-in (11:00 a.m. for residents, 12 noon for commuters) – 6:00 p.m.
Monday – Thursday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:45 p.m.
Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Showcase 6:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

All classes and performances are held at the Braun Music Center on the Stanford University campus, 541 Lasuen Mall, Stanford, CA 94305.

Click for detailed directions

Tuition only $2,465
Tuition (both weeks) plus room and board (Jazz Camp only) $3,565
Catered lunch for five days (Giant Steps Day Camp only): $125
Supervision and late pickup (Giant Steps Day Camp only): $200

Financial aid is available; you may apply for financial aid during the online registration process. Click for details on program pricing.

There is no audition to be accepted into Giant Steps Package. We hold placement evaluations at Stanford in June, where we listen to each young musician in order to place them in the classes and ensembles that are optimal for their development. Once you register, we’ll send you information about the placement evaluations via email, and through your SJW dashboard.

Most instruments are accepted at SJW, including:

All brass instruments (trumpet, F horn, trombone, baritone, tuba)
All woodwinds (flute, clarinet, saxophone)
All strings (violin, viola, cello)
All rhythm section instruments (guitar, piano, keyboards, vibraphone, bass, drums)
Vocalists are welcome