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Course Syllabus

MUSC 3307 Jazz Improvisation III

  • Division: Fine Arts, Comm, and New Media
  • Department: Music
  • Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 2; Lecture: 2; Lab: 0
  • Prerequisites: MUSC 3306 or permission of instructor
  • Semesters Offered: Spring
  • Semester Approved: Fall 2024
  • Five-Year Review Semester: Summer 2029
  • End Semester: Summer 2030
  • Optimum Class Size: 16
  • Maximum Class Size: 24

Course Description

This is the second course in a two-semester sequence. This course builds on concepts learned in Jazz Improvisation I. Students will develop their improvisation skills by exploring specific topics and strategies, including minor ii - V - i progressions, motivic use and development, specific tools for melodic embellishment, and advanced scale choices, including the diminished, altered and pentatonic scales. Repertoire choices include tunes with a faster harmonic rhythm, more advanced chord progressions, and songs from the Great American Songbook. Students will transcribe jazz solos by jazz masters representing the genres and styles discussed, and perform their transcriptions.

Justification

This course offers an opportunity for Snow College students to develop musicianship and performance skills as related to jazz improvisation. Courses of this type are taught at other NASM accredited institutions in Utah and throughout the US.

Student Learning Outcomes

  1. Students will learn musical literature as assigned. Melodies and harmonic progressions of assigned songs will be memorized.
  2. Students will improvise a solo over the chord progression of the assigned song that displays comprehension and proper application of specific tools for melodic construction that are the focus of that portion of the class.
  3. Students will compose and then perform a written etude that displays comprehension and proper application of specific tools for melodic construction that are the focus of that portion of the class.
  4. Students will improvise a solo over the chord progression of the assigned song that displays mastery of the advanced scale choices, including the diminished, altered and pentatonic scales.
  5. Students will develop mastery of assigned technical exercises, patterns and etudes.
  6. Students will expand their aural skills by playing assigned songs without the use of written music.
  7. Students will complete a transcription of a recording approved by the instructor. Students will perform the transcription.

Course Content

Skill building content may be drawn from the following areas: • tools for motivic unity and variety• developing long term flow in melodic improvisation• the minor ii - V - i• jazz scales• jazz solo transcription• advanced harmonic progressionsStudents will have opportunities to demonstrate their skill integration individually and receive guidance and feedback from the instructor.