Every city has its own beat, an ebb and flow of energy much like the rhythms in different genres  of music.

Zoe Hardee combined her interest in both at UNC Greensboro, pursuing a double degree with a   BM in Jazz Performance and a BA in Geography with a concentration in Urban Planning.  Dallas-born and raised in Wake Forest, North Carolina, Zoe had heard of the University’s prestigious and highly selective Miles Davis Jazz Studies Program from her high school band director and other students:

“I play guitar, piano, and upright bass.  The bass is my instrument of study here, and I studied with Steve Haines.  He  is one of the baddest cats I know, and I couldn’t have earned my bachelor’s degrees without him!”

Zoe admits that pursuing two different  degrees in different units  of the University — College of Visual and  Performing Arts and College of Arts and Sciences — was challenging , but she’s glad she did it:

“There were times that it was extremely stressful.  I found myself constantly shifting gears and sometimes thought I was spreading myself too thin.   But I persevered, and now I’m glad because  I think that double major looks impressive.”

With both music and urban planning in her repertoire,  Zoe hopes to get a job in the public sector, perhaps for a city or county government, but she says the music experience will remain beneficial:

“My peers at the CVPA definitely taught me how to network and be professional in gig-style jobs.  That’s a huge part of the economy these days, so I’ll definitely be using those skills going forward.”

And, she adds, she’ll take some good music she learned along the way:

“One of my favorite times was the semester CVPA hosted French exchange students in the Jazz Department.  I learned a bit about life outside of the States, and they introduced me to some really hip French jazz.”