Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM): Vocal Technique and Pedagogy
Date
July 6-July 31, 2026
Online
Hybrid with 3 synchronous sessions
Course Code
7076A
Credits
2
Tuition
$796
Course Description
Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM): Vocal Technique and Pedagogy is a methods-focused course designed to bridge the gap between traditional training and modern vocal demands. Participants will explore the pedagogical science of teaching them effectively.
Through a blend of Zoom sessions and asynchronous work, participants will collaborate with peers to identify common vocal challenges in popular music and develop strategies to address them. The course curriculum is responsive, starting with a survey to tailor content to the specific genres and goals relevant to your program. You will analyze video examples, engage in weekly reflections, and participate in discussions on the current landscape of commercial music.
By the end of this four-week intensive, you will have a stronger grasp of CCM pedagogy, allowing you to move students from simple imitation to healthy, independent music-making in various contemporary styles.
Instructor
Jade J. Maze is a singer, composer, educator, and author. She holds a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Northwestern University and is a Ravinia teaching artist. Maze has been a vocal coach/voice instructor for over 15 years, as well as a choral/music director for over a decade in both liturgical and scholastic institutions. She is embraced in a variety of musical circles crossing several genres such as Contemporary, Classical, Jazz, Blues, and more. Maze spent her early years as a musical artist on the East and West coasts singing original Soul-Rock and Jazz. She discovered a love for Classical music during her undergraduate studies at NEIU. Upon moving to Chicago, Maze recorded a highly acclaimed CD called My Favorite Color is Blue featuring members of the Otis Rush band. Ms. Maze received the 2016 Clementine Skinner award for her contributions as a singer/educator to the diverse music culture in Chicago. As an author, Ms. Maze’s debut memoir Walk Until Sunrise took first place in the Golden Aster Book World Literary Prize, Rome, November 2018. And her recently released short story collection Music Notes: Tales from an American Singer received the 2022 Pinnacle Book Achievement Award for Best Book (Short Story Collections). Singing and writing are callings for Maze, as is teaching.
Jade Maze sums up the art of making music thusly: talent, passion, knowledge, practice, performance. The act of singing is a combination of breath, shape commitment (vowels), vocal placement, relaxation, and vision. You must see and feel the music to make it. She strives to create a relaxed enjoyable environment in her studio so the student can be at ease enough to take chances and discover their unique voice. While music is a discipline, it is also a personal form of expression. Maze believes in giving her students the fundamental vocal tools they need to execute their personal form of vocal expression in a vocally healthy manner.