Group Percussion is offered to students during their third semester in the music certificate program. The course teaches percussion techniques in jazz, Latin, Afro Cuban and rock music; all musical styles that have improvisational aspects to them. In addition to technique, improvisational methods are taught in these idioms as well.
The improvisation sequence is a course sequence taught in succession. Introduction to Improvisation covers basic soloing techniques in the jazz musical idiom and is meant for the beginning improvisor. Individual improvisational techniques are learned and then put into practice using beginner level jazz tunes, such as Autumn Leaves and Blue Bossa. Improvisation 1 builds on the introductory course and introduces scales and chord concepts specific to soloing over jazz tunes. Techniques such as melodic construction, rhythmic motifs and lines, voice leading concepts and chord substitutions are taught in this course. Students will be able to solo over entire jazz song forms such as A B A Jazz ear training, which is taught during this course as well.
Improvisation sequence 2 covers similar topics as Improvisation 1 and builds on the concepts of melodic phrasing, chord choice, soloing over particular chord sequences that are found in jazz music; for instance, the ii-V-I chord sequence. Improvising in various styles of jazz is worked on as well -- Bossa Nova, BeBop, Fusion. Improvisation sequence 3 covers similar topics at a more advanced level and focuses on vocal improvisation in addition to instrumental improvisation. Jazz theory and ear training are also covered during this course.
Band Workshop allows students to put their improvisational techniques into practice in a group performance setting. The students choose tunes in various musical styles including jazz, R&B, and pop music. Soloing techniques are implemented during rehearsals and used during the final performance.