On any given day, the deep plunks of a string bass, the soothing sounds of a trombone and the hypnotizing harmony of a saxophone solo can be heard emanating from inside MSU’s Music Building.

And those sounds only will become more frequent.

The addition of a new degree program could help an MSU student be the next Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis or Louis Armstrong.

A bachelor of music degree in jazz studies was approved Tuesday by the Academic Council, MSU’s academic governing body. Students will be able to declare the major for the fall semester this week.

Rodney Whitaker, associate professor and director of the Jazz Studies Program, said the addition of the major will bring musical diversity to campus.

“For the most part, Western European classical music has been at the forefront,” he said. “That will continue to be pushed, but (the jazz studies major) will open up to the American classical form, which is jazz.”

Whitaker said many of the 26 required major courses in the degree program are available to nonmajors and nonmusicians. Students must audition for a place in performance classes.

Program officials hope to bring in about 20 new students per year. Whitaker said courses offered last semester to students will count toward a major.

“Part of the whole thing is to create an integrated program where classical students can get jazz experience as well,” Whitaker said.

Whitaker said the program is in the process of obtaining additional faculty members, but he didn’t know how many will be hired.

“It’s a tough time, budgets have been cut and slashed,” he said. “ We have to be very creative with the money that we have.”

Various courses in jazz studies at MSU have been available since 1979. The University of Michigan and Western Michigan University each offer a bachelors in jazz studies.

MSU Provost Lou Anna Simon said the idea for making a jazz studies major available is nothing new.

“We’ve always had outstanding individuals in the School of Music that are interested in jazz,” she said.

“The addition of (some faculty members) began the idea of really how best to incorporate essentially America’s music into America’s unique university. It’s an enormous fit for a historic mission, as well as an important component to the future.

“We’ve been very fortunate to be able to attract external faculty members who give us an instant national visibility as being one of the premier programs.”

But Simon said the addition of the program will not cause many physical changes to the School of Music.

“The faculty are already there,” she said. “What this does is make the pursuit of jazz studies under equal footing as others, instead of subset of a music major.”

Jim Forger, director of the School of Music, said a few cost additions to the program will cover the addition of faculty members.

“In planning over the last few years, the administration has enabled us to put the teachers in place to move forward with the program,” he said. “Having a major requires several more specialists. I think the program will continue to serve those students who participate in jazz, but are not necessarily jazz majors and it will bring the program to a higher level of performance and opportunity.”

Music performance sophomore Lorenzo Macuja said he plans to change his major to jazz studies. His interest in performing jazz music began in high school and he has been playing since then.

“We have so many great faculty and if you want to be a jazz musician or are interested, this is it,” the saxophonist said. “This program is really shaping up to be the best in the country.”

Music freshman Brad Barrett said although he is happy to hear students can get a degree in jazz studies, he isn’t going to switch majors. Barrett also majors in general business administration and pre-law.

Barrett, a bass player in the secondary-level jazz band, said MSU’s program is one of the best in the country and the addition of the jazz studies major will further identify it that way.

“I’m a dual major already,” he said. “But this is definitely a good thing. It shows the jazz program has grown a lot.

“It’s being recognized, finally.”