Course Syllabus
Course: MUSC 3146
Division: Fine Arts, Comm, and New MediaDepartment: Music
Title: Jazz Ensemble III
Semester Approved: Fall 2019
Five-Year Review Semester: Fall 2024
End Semester: Summer 2025
Catalog Description: Jazz Ensemble is a standard jazz big band. The jazz ensemble will perform literature inclusive of all jazz styles. Historical context and professional level expectations will be addressed, including but not limited to the responsibilities of each chair, showing leadership or doubling on other instruments (typical of the saxophone section). This course is open only to music majors pursuing the B. Mus degree or by permission of instructor. Audition required. May be repeated for credit.
Semesters Offered: Fall, Spring
Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 1; Lecture: 4; Lab: 0
Repeatable: Yes.
Prerequisites: Admittance into B. MUS program, MUSC 3146 or permission of instructor. Audition required. or permission of instructor. Audition required.
Corequisites: May be required to take Jazz Improvisation at the discretion of the Instructor.
Justification: Jazz is a uniquely American form of art that is generally taught at the college level in a big band setting. This course is standard at four-year institutions throughout the state, and nationwide.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Students will accurately perform the rhythms, melodies and harmonies of the music selected by the director. This will be assessed by the instructor each class period, by the quality and accuracy of the student's performance in rehearsal, sectionals, and performance.
Perform essential skills as part of a section, including, proper intonation blend and balance. This will be assessed by the instructor each class period, by the quality and accuracy of the student's performance in rehearsal, sectionals, and performance.
Show improvement in both speed and accuracy of literature learning as measured by small group assessment. This will be assessed by the instructor each class period, by the quality and accuracy of the student's performance in rehearsal, sectionals, and performance.
Understand the music in its historical setting as well as the stylistic, expressive, and formal qualities associated with the particular era of music history. This will be assessed by the instructor each class period, by the quality and accuracy of the student's performance in rehearsal, sectionals, and performance.
Communicate the understanding which they have gained to their audiences. This will be assessed during the concerts each semester, by the quality of each performance.
Students will improve their ability to improvise over chord symbols in solo sections of repertoire. This will be assessed during the concerts each semester and through instructor evaluation of written assignments, of the accuracy of student improvisations in fitting in with the harmonic chord structures of each piece.
Content:
Members of the ensemble will learn and perform appropriate literature as selected by the instructor. Content includes study of:• Intonation• Balance• Blend• Articulation• Historical Context• Performance Practice• Improvisation
Key Performance Indicators:
Students in instrumental music performance courses are assessed in the following ways (percentages are approximate):
Participation Rates - Attendance at class sessions 50 to 60%
Written Assignments - Transcriptions or Practice Logs 10 to 20%
Presentation/Performance - sectional rehearsal participation and performance 10 to 20%
Presentation/Performance - Concert Participation and performance 10 to 20%
Group Project - Participation in concert recording review and critique 10 to 20%
Representative Text and/or Supplies:
Charlie Parker Omnibook; By Charlie Parker, Jamey Aebersold, Ken Slone
(Optional) Jazzology; By Robert Rawlins, Nor Eddine Bahha
Pedagogy Statement:
This course will be delivered via direct instruction, student directed, collaborative sectional rehearsals, demonstration, & modeling. Students will also be given short transcription assignments and arpeggio exercises to improve improvisational ability. Individual, personal practice is crucial to the success of this ensemble. A big emphasis is placed on listening to the recordings of each piece, to gain stylistic understanding of the material.
Instructional Mediums:
Lecture
Maximum Class Size: 30
Optimum Class Size: 20