Course Level 6
Elective Intensive A gives the student the opportunity to undertake an intensive period of study in areas and topics of personal interest. Students choose from course offerings, each of which focuses on a specific style area or genre. Elective offerings vary from quarter to quarter.
Elective Intensive A includes the following classes:
Musicianship:
This class is a part of a sequence, which focuses on music theory, aural skills, and keyboard proficiency.
Reading Proficiency Class:
The Reading Proficiency Class consists of a series of progressive classes. Students learn sight-reading skills and the ability to interpret music from a wide variety of sources and formats.
Elective Intensive Performance Sequence:
Each of the following Elective Intensive classes includes a core sequence of rhythm section prep classes and anchor private lessons. All classes focus on the same topic area and performance requirements of the weekly rhythm section. Students are accompanied by professional musicians in all rhythm section classes.
1. Anchor Private Study:
Each style offers private lessons with the Elective Intensive instructor for the purposes of preparing and reviewing the student’s performance in the rhythm section class. Students who play a different instrument than the Elective Intensive instructor will be assigned a teacher on their instrument for these lessons.
2. Rhythm Section Prep Class:
The Prep class gives the student the opportunity to work on the technical performance aspects of the topic being studied, and the tunes that are to be performed in the weekly rhythm section.
3. Rhythm Section:
The rhythm section class represents the conclusion of the weekly 3-class sequence. Students have the opportunity to perform the course material in a professional rhythm section setting. This course culminates in a public recital.
Elective Intensive Class Offerings
(Open to all divisions)
- Brazilian Styles
- Contemporary Afro-Cuban
- Contemporary Jazz
- Contemporary Jazz – for bass, guitar and keyboard
- Funk/Blues/R&B – for bass, guitar, and keyboard
- Jazz / Groove
- New Musical Concepts
- Odd Meters
Note: Elective Intensive class offerings are subject to change and have minimal enrollment levels. Other elective intensives may be offered from time-to-time, based on enrollment demand.
General Performance and Individual Study Courses
Studio Recording 1:
This class focuses on performing with pre-recorded material in a recording studio setting. Student recordings are reviewed and critiqued on their ability to perform in a manner that complements the underlying music.
OR
Studio Recording 2: (Studio Recording 1 is a prerequisite for this class)
This class continues from where Recording 1 leaves off. In Recording 2, students record with a live student rhythm section and are critiqued on their ability to perform in a live interactive manner that enhances the music being performed and recorded.
Elective Class:
Students may further personalize their plan of study by choosing from a list of elective classes. Prerequisites may apply. Elective class offerings are subject to minimum enrollment levels.
Elective Private Study:
Students may work privately with a teacher of their choice on material of their own choosing.
Daily Individual Practice Time:
Students are assigned 2 hours per day during the week, open hours on the weekend, and additional hours available at off-peak times throughout the week.
Course Level 7
Elective Intensive B gives the student the opportunity to undertake an intensive period of study in areas and topics of personal interest. Students choose from course offerings, each of which focuses on a specific style area or genre. Elective offerings vary from quarter to quarter.
Elective Intensive B includes the following classes:
Musicianship:
This class is a part of a sequence, which focuses on music theory, aural skills, and keyboard proficiency.
Reading Proficiency Class:
The Reading Proficiency Class consists of a series of progressive classes. Students learn sight-reading skills and the ability to interpret music from a wide variety of sources and formats.
Elective Intensive Performance Sequence:
Each of the following Elective Intensive classes includes a core sequence of rhythm section prep classes and anchor private lessons. All classes focus on the same topic area and performance requirements of the weekly rhythm section. Students are accompanied by professional musicians in all rhythm section classes.
1. Anchor Private Study:
Each style offers private lessons with the Elective Intensive instructor for the purposes of preparing and reviewing the student’s performance in the rhythm section class. Students who play a different instrument than the Elective Intensive instructor will be assigned a teacher on their instrument for these lessons.
2. Rhythm Section Prep Class:
The Prep class gives the student the opportunity to work on the technical performance aspects of the topic being studied, and the tunes that are to be performed in the weekly rhythm section.
3. Rhythm Section:
The rhythm section class represents the conclusion of the weekly 3-class sequence. Students have the opportunity to perform the course material in a professional rhythm section setting. This course culminates in a public recital.
Elective Intensive Class Offerings
(Open to all divisions)
- Brazilian Styles
- Contemporary Afro-Cuban
- Contemporary Jazz
- Contemporary Jazz – for bass, guitar and keyboard
- Funk/Blues/R&B – for bass, guitar, and keyboard
- Jazz / Groove
- New Musical Concepts
- Odd Meters
Note: Elective Intensive class offerings are subject to change and have minimal enrollment levels. Other elective intensives may be offered from time-to-time, based on enrollment demand.
General Performance and Individual Study Courses
Studio Recording 1:
This class focuses on performing with pre-recorded material in a recording studio setting. Student recordings are reviewed and critiqued on their ability to perform in a manner that complements the underlying music.
OR
Studio Recording 2: (Studio Recording 1 is a prerequisite for this class)
This class continues from where Recording 1 leaves off. In Recording 2, students record with a live student rhythm section and are critiqued on their ability to perform in a live interactive manner that enhances the music being performed and recorded.
Elective Class:
Students may further personalize their plan of study by choosing from a list of elective classes. Prerequisites may apply. Elective class offerings are subject to minimum enrollment levels.
Elective Private Study:
Students may work privately with a teacher of their choice on material of their own choosing.
Daily Individual Practice Time:
Students are assigned 2 hours per day during the week, open hours on the weekend, and additional hours available at off-peak times throughout the week.
Elective Class Class Offerings
These classes are offered every semester contingent upon enrollment. Elective classes are included in every second-year program: Performance Musicianship Program, Elective Intensive Program, and Advanced Performance Program. Students in these programs should make a selection from the list below. Students not in one of these programs may add an elective class to their program for an additional tuition fee.
Classes for All Instruments
Composition/Arranging
Students learn to apply basic musical concepts to the writing and arranging of original material. Both live and electronic media are used in this class.
Intro to Music Production
Students are introduced to the industry-standard ProTools software techniques, including basics of audio and MIDI recording, editing, mixing, and file handling, with special focus on the computer workstation, and its maintenance, as the tool of modern music production. Students will have an opportunity to prepare their class assignments on supplied ProTools workstations.
Vocal Technique for Musicians
This class is designed to help musicians develop basic vocal performance skills. Classwork includes proper singing techniques, production of a good vocal sound, and performance on selected repertoire.
Repertoire Class
Students are presented and asked to memorize the most important repertoire in jazz, Funk, R&B, and Latin idioms. Four or more new tunes are assigned each week for memorization.
Improvisation
This class delves into harmonic linear improvisation. Common chordal structures are presented and sequenced in a manner that helps students applied what has been covered, while learning and mastering new and more complex structures.
Classes for Drummers
Drummers Soloing/Improvisation
Drummers study vocabulary and techniques used to solo in a variety of styles. Historical and technical details are also studied as a way to understand how drum soloing has evolved from the 1950’s thru today.
Natural Performance Technique for Drummers
This class examines how our hands, feet, and bodies move most effectively to play with speed, dynamics and precision Techniques used in the class emphasize natural motions designed to make playing easier, more fluid, efficient, and economical. In addition, each student’s technical issues are examined and exercises are given to enable the student to overcome inefficient technique and bad habits. All technical levels are accepted.
Odd Meters
Students work in a systematic way to achieve fluency in less common meters and subdivisions, with a strong focus on musical application in accompaniment and soloing situations. Odd meters in 4/8/16 as well as triplet possibilities, rhythm scales, subdivisions over multiple beats and metric modulations will be among the topics covered in this class.
Polyrhythms
The complexity of polyrhythms is laid out in a relatively easy to understand system, which helps students to find musical applications to each set of rhythmic and metric combinations.
Brushes
This class examines the classic groove and solo patterns used by leading brush players in a variety of styles. Musical and technical issues of playing are discussed. A historical examination of the major brush innovators is also covered.
