Jazz Ensemble Syllabus
See a video of the Jazz Ensemble
Jazz Ensemble Syllabus
Huntingtown High School
Fine Arts Department
MUSIC-6430 Jazz Ensemble-1 Credit
Professor: Donald R. Naumann
Office: B103 Fine Arts
Phone: 410-486-4002
Email: bandirector@canesband.org
A. Course Outline: The Jazz Ensemble is designed for students with
advanced music skills. The following types of music are studied: popular, swing,
jazz, and rock. Creativity, improvisation, transcribing melodies and rhythms,
and refined aural skills are fostered. It is expected that students will
practice on a daily basis to master the jazz style and to develop their art of
improvisation. As members of the Jazz Ensemble, play for concerts, assemblies,
and other community and school events. All performances are mandatory and
required concert attire must be worn.
B. Prerequisites: Students must provide their own musical instrument.
Some larger instruments are available for loan from the school. Students will
provide a 2-inch - 3-ringed binder with plastic sheets to hold concert music. A
pencil and small digital tuner are required for class.
C. Objectives: Students will be able to:
1. Perform various styles of jazz music at Grade IV through Grade VI
2. Demonstrate proper playing position: posture and embouchure formation
3. Produce a quality and rich tone on their musical instrument
4. Demonstrate a variety of jazz articulations
5. Transcribe and perform various jazz melodies and rhythms
6. Improvise melodies over complex chord changes
7. Develop knowledge of jazz history, jazz artists, composers and musicians
8. Become proficient on all major scales, blues scales, modes and chromatic
scale
D. Rehearsals: Jazz Ensemble meets during Period 8 each day
Additional rehearsals will be scheduled prior to performances
E. Concert Dress:
Women and Men: black pants/slacks, black long-sleeve dress shirt, with a collar
- shirt must be tucked into pants. Carolina Blue Long Neck Tie, black socks,
black belt, and black dress shoes.
F. Grading:
Product: Performance Assessments, Concerts, Playing Tests and Scale Check-Off-
70%
Process: Class work, Homework, Practicing, Warm-Ups and Quizzes- 30%