The Development of a Jazz Improvisation Method to Teach Various Levels of Junior High and High School Students in the Classroom
File(s)
Date
1982-06Author
Irish, Michael J.
Publisher
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, College of Fine Arts and Communication
Metadata
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http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1793/82089Description
The purpose of this thesis is to present a method of
teaching single-note (linear) jazz improvisation utilizing
a unified, multi-level approach designed for use with high
school and advanced junior high school students. The method
is intended for implementation by public school educators,
private teachers and college students. Presently, there
exists no single method which meets the needs of musicians
of this specific age group and the music educators involved
with teaching them.
The two key terms in the previous statement are multilevel
and unified. Multi-level refers to the fact that the
method itself is designed to be used with students at four
different levels of experience in jazz improvisation. The
four levels and their objectives are defined as follows:
Level I: no previous experience in jazz improvisation.
Objectives:
A) to introduce the major and blues
scales, and to develop basic facility
with them
B) to develop basic analytical skills to
determine proper scale/chord relationships.
Level II: very limited experience in jazz improvisation.
Objectives: A) to continue facility development
through the introduction of sequential
patterns
B) determination of key (tonal) centers
by analysis
C) to learn alternative scale/chord
relationships
Level III: moderate experience and background in jazz
improvisation.
Objectives: A) to introduce more advanced and complex
scalar patterns
B) to introduce guide-tone principles
C) to develop linear and lyric improvisational
strategies
Level IV: extensive experience in jazz improvisation
with a knowledge of standard repertoire.
Objectives: A) to apply advanced scalar patterns to
improvisations
B) to use upper-extension guide-tone
principles in improvisations
C) to develop tension/release concepts in
improvisations
Unified means that three types of improvisational
vehicles (modal, blues and II-V-I) are used as repertoire to
develop improvisational skill. The unit on each vehicle
contains exercises and commentary related to the four levels
of experience.
The aims of the method itself are 1) to provide
learning materials proceeding from the technically easiest
to the more difficult, 2) to provide specific exercises at
four different technical levels, 3) to provide three
different structural approaches to jazz improvisation which
make up a large portion of the jazz repertoire, 4) to
provide the educator with a specific set of "lesson plans"
to follow in teaching jazz improvisation, 5) to provide the
student with a discography that is pertinent to his/her
level of experience and 6) to develop-a jazz improvisation
aesthetic concurrent with the development of instrumental
technique. The existence of a method meeting these criteria
will greatly facilitate the teacher/educator when trying to
bridge the gap between method books of an informational
nature and the daily teaching of jazz improvisation.