Class work involves sight singing and transcribing recorded jazz performances. Jazz and Traditional Materials - This three year course develops students' understanding of harmony, melody, rhythm, and form in both jazz and traditional musical idioms and provides, through written and performance exercises, a foundation for concurrent and future studies in jazz improvisation, composition and arranging. Course assignments include sectional writing techniques, voice leading, melody writing, counterpoint, basic composition and arranging techniques, and score analysis. Jazz Arranging - Students normally take this elective in their third year. It covers advanced techniques of arranging and orchestration for various instrumental and vocal jazz ensembles.
Students write for various size ensembles.
Students may take courses in music education, theory and composition, history and culture or other performance courses subject to course prerequisites. Studies in the European Tradition - Emphasis on repertory by genre, library skills, analysis and description of music in words through the historical study of Western art music.