Starting on The Right Note: Advice for Success from Jazz Students

By Kimberly Kapela I Sep. 18, 2025

Fight through “imposter’s syndrome,” says Ricki Rizzo, a vocalist at Queens College.
(Photo: Courtesy Ricki Rizzo)
“There’s this misconception that jazz musicians should constantly be practicing, and there’s no downtime,”says Adithya Vaidhyan, who studies at NYU Steinhardt.
(Photo: Courtesy Adithya Vaidhyan)
“It’s really important to remember the big picture of what you want to do, and what opportunities you have in store,” offers Jackson Woates, a jazz guitar major at Biola University.
(Photo: Courtesy Jackson Woates)
“I said ‘yes’ to every opportunity that came my way, knowing that it is often the most random ones that can get your foot in the door,” says Dante Notolli, a bass student at Columbia College Chicago.
(Photo: Courtesy Dante Notolli)
“Make time and energy to meet people and make friends,” suggests Millie Ahearn, a student at DePaul University.
(Photo: Courtesy Millie Ahearn)

For many students, the transition into a collegiate jazz program can feel overwhelming — new peers, unfamiliar ensembles, high-pressure performances and packed schedules. But for those who’ve navigated the early years, the biggest lessons go beyond the classroom. From managing “imposter syndrome” to finding balance between hustle and rest, current jazz majors across the country offer grounded advice for incoming freshmen.

Every jazz student remembers their first semester in college — the nerves, the late-night practice sessions and experiencing the first real taste of studying jazz on a collegiate level. For incoming jazz majors, the first week of college marks not only a new chapter in a professional career, but a deeper refinement to the craft. The classrooms are new and the ensembles are unfamiliar, but it’s important to remember that everyone’s learning.

To break down the experience, jazz guitarists, trumpeters, saxophonists and more who’ve been through the whirlwind of auditions, lengthy practice sessions and intense exams share their advice on the importance of building natural patterns for practice, keeping sight of the bigger picture, even under high-pressure performances.

“The most frustrating part of studying music in college is navigating the full-on schedules; when balancing a job, gigging and school, you get very limited full-on practice time to work on all the things you’re learning,” said Millie Ahearn, a second-year jazz trumpet major earning her postgraduate performance certificate at DePaul University in Chicago. “Finding the flow of your schedule takes time, and figuring out how to be productive within it can take several attempts.”

Many students agree that hitting technical or creative blocks are inevitable, but not permanent. Ahearn advises freshmen to be patient with themselves and trust the process, rather than giving in to excessive self-judgment and imposter syndrome.

“Creative plateaus require me to step outside of myself and engage with other art and artists,” Ahearn said. “Any creative voice you’re trying to build will only suffer in solitude. Make time and energy to meet people and make friends. These are the people you’ll be growing and creating with over the next four years, so allow them to change you and to be changed by you. Outside of that, try to be honest with your learning and find things every day that remind you of why you are where you are. Your teachers should want to help you, so take advantage of having them there.”

Echoing a similar sentiment, Ricki Rizzo, who’s pursuing her master’s in jazz vocal performance at Queens College in New York, recalled feeling the weight of imposter syndrome as it was her first time outside of her hometown bubble.

“When I was entering my undergrad, I went through imposter syndrome where it felt like I wasn’t supposed to be in the program, and I’m not good enough to be working with higher professionals,” Rizzo said. “I continued to put in the work because I strive to be better for myself, my own personal goals, and that’s what keeps me going at the end of the day.”

After four years immersed in jazz education, her mindset began to shift. Rizzo recognized how much growth can come from listening to mentors and peers, and to different musical perspectives.

For incoming freshmen, Rizzo emphasizes that developing strong time management skills early on is key to balancing coursework, a job and a consistent practice routine.

“What helped me throughout my entire bachelor’s is setting the next point — short- and long-term goals that are obtainable,” she said. “Make sure you’re able to take it step by step so you’re not overwhelming yourself. In the first weeks, do not hesitate to speak with your professors if you’re having a tough time with certain topics, because I know that I had to do that, and it ended up making me have to do even more work to understand. Go to office hours at the end of class. Professors are there to help you, so make sure that you’re open to going up with them.”

Practicing Self-Preservation

While many students focus on squeezing every spare minute into the practice room, others discover that growth sometimes requires stepping back.

Adithya Vaidhyan, who is pursuing his master’s in jazz performance at NYU Steinhardt in New York, found that one of the most important lessons in his academic journey was finding balance. For Vaidhyan, that meant giving himself permission to step outside the pressure cooker of constant practice and find inspiration beyond the practice room.

“There’s this misconception that jazz musicians should constantly be practicing, and there’s no downtime,” Vaidhyan said. “There’s a toxic association with jazz musicians being full-time hustlers who never stop. Striking the balance is really the tough part, and also not worrying too much about what other people think of you.”

His master’s thesis explored this common tension. In interviews with some of his tenor saxophone role models, he noticed a recurring theme that longevity in jazz requires more than relentless work ethic, it requires self-preservation.

“A lot of what they mentioned is finding the balance between pursuing jazz to the fullest extent, but also sustaining that for a long period of time and not being affected by what other people project onto you,” Vaidhyan said.

Similarly, for sophomore jazz guitarist Jackson Woates, who studies at Biola University in La Mirada, California, finding balance between his goals and self-compassion has been affirming his journey.

“It’s really important to remember the big picture of what you want to do, and what opportunities you have in store,” Woates said. “It’s so easy to get tunnel vision and become obsessed with the school aspect of what you’re doing. When things get busy and overwhelming, I remind myself that this moment doesn’t make or break my career. What matters more is that I keep improving, as a musician, yes, but also as a person.”

While the first few weeks of school can feel overwhelming, community and structure begin to take shape with time.

“Be patient,” Vaidhyan advises. “You’re not learning everything you have to learn the first semester of your freshman year, but what you can do is learn a couple things really well, make really good friends and find some role models that really inspire you. Being in the moment as much as possible, experiencing what I have to experience without worrying about the next thing down the road, or how it’s going to affect my image, or how it’s going to affect my career — those have been my most meaningful and rewarding experiences.”

Rather than pushing through frustration for the sake of productivity, Woates leans on steady, consistent practice and the understanding that growth comes in waves. He built a routine around foundational exercises such as practicing scales, arpeggios and theory drills in rotation when frustration hits.

“Being able to withstand those environments and stay calm is really important in the industry when it comes to getting jobs,” Woates said. “If I’m stuck on a piece, I go back to something simpler that I know I can do but still challenges me. That way, I’m still improving without overwhelming or stressing myself out. Even just repeating something familiar can help reset and refocus.”

Building with Intention

Coming to college felt like diving headfirst into independence for Dante Nottoli, a senior electric and upright bassist at Columbia College Chicago, where he studies in both the Fusion Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble programs. That independence, he said, became the catalyst not only for personal growth, but also for discovering his voice as a musician.

“In my independence, I was finding myself, my values, my core and, in harmony with all of that, my sound,” Nottoli said. “I said ‘yes’ to every opportunity that came my way, knowing that it is often the most random ones that can get your foot in the door.”

From his earliest days on campus, Nottoli found that studying music at the collegiate level offered a shift in perspective. Whether he was composing, improvising or simply listening more deeply, the academic environment gave him tools to think creatively and intentionally as an artist. “Starting as a freshman, I was looking at music from a different perspective,” he said. “It’s always a creative jumpstart for me, not just in composing and songwriting, but in how I play and improvise.”

One strategy Nottoli recommends for any developing jazz student is to listen beyond your own instrument. “Take a recording you like, but focus on an instrument besides your own,” he explained. “As a bass player, I might focus on the drums and how the drummer interprets the music, how they shift their playing between sections or solos and how that changes the overall feel. This strategy may give you insight into what makes you like the recording, and that insight now becomes part of your musical toolbox.”

The path of a college jazz musician is about making intentional choices with time, energy and creative focus. Balancing school, a growing career and building connections within the music scene takes consistent effort and, at times, tough sacrifices. It’s a reality many student musicians face, and one that Nottoli said requires clarity about personal goals.

“It’s a normal dilemma that’s ever-present for any student musician,” he said. “But ultimately, it’s up to you to decide where you want to put your musical energy.”

Staying grounded in creativity and not a competitive mindset helps Nottoli navigate his college years.

“When competition leads to comparison, we lose the essence of what music is,” Notolli said. “Expression, freedom, connection — there is no wrong way, thus there is no ‘better than,’ only ‘different than.’ It is equally important to note that college can be a significant step in your career and to realize that it is only one step along your entire journey. Your college experience is shaped by you, but really all you have to do is be open; school is designed to have opportunities right there for you if you are receptive.” DB