LHS Jazz Studies Curriculum

----- INTRODUCTION -----

What follows is a list of thirty-one goals (objectives) for the students in the jazz program with a statement about why those goals are important to achieve. This is followed by specific activities that are designed to help reach the stated objectives and the procedures used to evaluate the degree of success in reaching those goals. The degree to which some goals are reached will be more objectively observed than others, such as written quizzes, papers, or the completion of worksheets. Many goals could be considered attitudinal in nature and very subtle to evaluate over just one year. However, when students graduate from the Ludington High School jazz studies program after spending four years in the Jazz ensembles, it is desirable that all of the following goals will have been met to some acceptable degree.

1. A student will exhibit professional attitude and behavior during rehearsals and performances and trips.
2. A student will become an independent thinker and self-motivated worker while becoming a team player through directing and/or taking part in productive sectional rehearsals, and performing, whenever possible, without a conductor.
3. A student will become aware of his or her skill level on their instrument in relation to their potential.
4. A student will appreciate the efforts of their peers and/or have an opportunity to be appreciated by their peers.
5. A student will become aware of the “pros” and “cons” of competitive and non-competitive performance events.
6. A student will understand, appreciate and perform a wide variety of jazz ensemble literature.
7. A student will become aware of past and present jazz performers, ensembles, composers, and compositions.
8. A student will be instructed in basic jazz history.
9. A student will learn how to become a proficient sight-reader of music.
10. A student will learn to take care of the printed musical parts issued to them.
11. A student will learn an amount of music theory related to the proficiency level of improvisation they seek to attain.
12. A student will perform all twelve major and relative dorian minor scales on their instrument.
13. A student will be encouraged to use or purchase “play-a-long” recordings to help develop improvisational ability. Students will be required to start a listening library.
14. Saxophonists, whenever possible, will also be able to perform on either the clarinet or flute.
15. A student will identify by ear the difference between major, minor, dominant- seventh, augmented, and diminished chords, and perform those chord structures on his or her instrument.
16. A student will become aware of career or employment opportunities or college-major options available to them in the field of music.
17. A student will be informed of the various college and university schools of music.
18. A student will engage in performance tours or off-campus concerts whenever possible.
19. A student will perform with professional musicians.
20. A student will either perform a well-crafted improvised solo, or know what constitutes such an improvised solo.
21. A student will have the opportunity to become aware of the skill-level of other jazz musicians their age and of high school jazz ensembles outside of Ludington, and to interact with students from other high schools.
22. A student will be informed of the opportunities for summer music camp experiences.
23. A student will have the opportunity to be exposed to the teaching styles of other music educators.
24. A student will be encouraged to arrange or compose music and will be exposed to new music by guest composers.
25. A student will regularly present his or her musical skills on television, radio, and Internet.
26. A student will become aware of the various jazz-related websites that exist on the Internet.
27. A student will have his or her talents broadcast live on the Internet.
28. A student will have his or her talents recorded on compact discs.
29. A student will understand principles and techniques of electronic sound reinforcement.
30: A student will be responsible for helping to promote audience attendance at jazz concerts.
31. A student enrolled in a jazz ensemble must be concurrently enrolled in a band (wind ensemble) if they play wind and percussionist instruments, (Pianists, Drummers and guitars are exempt.) Any exceptions granted upon director meeting.

----- COURSE OBJECTIVES -----

----- OBJECTIVE 1 -----
A student will exhibit professional attitude and behavior during rehearsals and performances.
Why is this important? -- Jazz ensembles that rehearse in an organized and efficient manner will perform in concerts with a high degree of musicianship. An attitude of support and respect for others in the ensemble is important if sectional rehearsals are to be productive, if less experienced improvisers are to experiment with improvisation in a non-threatening environment, and if the atmosphere during ensemble rehearsals is to be positive. These highly regarded attitudes and behaviors are generally associated with and demonstrated by successful professional musicians and are traits which our students should emulate.
Activities: -- Class discussions about the role of positive and negative attitudes will take place. Guest professional musicians will be brought to the campus to discuss their opinions about attitude and behavior. Examples of both good and bad showmanship will be discussed.
Evaluation: -- Observers of rehearsals and concerts will observe a sense of purpose, pride, and enthusiasm from the students about the music performed and the organizations performing such music.

----- OBJECTIVE 2 -----
A student will become an independent thinker and self-motivated worker while becoming a team player through directing and/or taking part in productive sectional rehearsals, and performing, whenever possible, without a conductor.
Why is this important? -- Any students who leave high school without learning how to think for themselves and work without supervision are at a disadvantage, either in college or in the workplace, regardless of the career path they take. Students also learn that working as a team allows them and the group to achieve higher goals and standards. Good musicians also can see how their individual part fits into the overall musical product. Proficient professional-quality jazz musicians must also be able to perform without a conductor.
Activities -- Sectional rehearsals will take place during or outside of the school day and will be conducted by the students themselves working on musical concerns that they identify on their own as well as those suggested by the director.
Evaluation -- The productivity of sectionals will be evaluated by the director and the students involved as evidenced by the improvement heard following the sectional. Students will exhibit self-motivation. When a jazz ensemble performs without a conductor on stage, the final musical product will be equal to a performance as if a conductor were employed.

----- OBJECTIVE 3 -----
A student will become aware of his or her skill level on their instrument in relation to their potential.
Why is this important? -- Honest self-awareness of one’s abilities and attitude in relation to one’s potential can be a motivating force for improvement.
Activities -- Students will regularly complete “Self Evaluation” questionnaires at the completion of each grading period. Private interviews with the teacher and every student in the jazz program will take place at the end of each trimester to discuss a student’s “Self Evaluation.”
Evaluation -- Trimester grades will be determined by considering student “Self Evaluation” forms and teacher observation.

----- OBJECTIVE 4 -----
A student will appreciate the efforts of their peers and/or have an opportunity to be appreciated by their peers.
Why is this important? -- Certain students who excel should be recognized for their success or efforts.
Activities -- At the end of each school year, awards will be given to outstanding instrumentalists. Awards will be selected by the director. These awards include The Louie Armstrong Award and a Special Director’s Award
Evaluation -- Awards will be presented at the end of the year.

----- OBJECTIVE 5 -----
A student will become aware of the “pros” and “cons” of competitive and non-competitive performance events.
Why is this important? -- Students need to have the information, or “pros” and “cons,” of competitive and non-competitive festivals in order to form their own opinions.
Activities -- Class will take place in which the structure, philosophy and execution of competitive music events is provided.
Evaluation -- Students will write papers either supporting or opposing competitive music events. These papers will be evaluated on their defense of their philosophy.

----- OBJECTIVE 6-----
A student will understand, appreciate and perform a wide variety of jazz ensemble literature.
Why is this important? -- Jazz is a truly American musical art form with its own unique language of interpretation and expression. A well-educated jazz musician must be able to perform in a wide range of musical styles—or be able to enter into discussions with other musicians about various musical styles, genres, or performance media. By performing a wide range of styles, students can be better consumers of music as they decide what concerts to attend, what recordings to purchase or listen to, or which artistic organizations to support.
Activities -- Literature to be rehearsed and performed will include selections in at least the following styles or forms at various tempi: Swing, Ballad, Latin, Blues (major and minor), Fusion, Be-Bop, Contemporary, and other accepted forms of jazz. Literature to be rehearsed and performed will include selections from the following jazz eras: Dixieland, Bebop, Swing, Funk, Contemporary, and other acknowledged eras of jazz history.
Evaluation -- Concerts will be programmed and successfully performed using the music studied.

----- OBJECTIVE 7 -----
A student will become aware of past and present jazz performers, ensembles, composers, and compositions.
Why is this important? -- An understanding of the jazz performance styles that precede today’s music is important in giving authentic performances of older-style music. By hearing or seeing past jazz performers, our students will be exposed to performers that they themselves may want to emulate or to recordings that they want to purchase for study.
Activities -- Video and audio recordings by jazz artists will be studied during class time. These recordings will range from historical footage to current recordings.
Evaluation -- Historical video and audio tapes will be seen/heard during jazz ensemble classes. Discussions in and out-of-class with individual students, and successful performances of older-style music will evaluate their understanding of the music studied.

----- OBJECTIVE 8 -----
A student will be instructed in basic jazz history.
Why is this important? -- An understanding of jazz history is important if our students are to converse intelligently with other jazz musicians, and appreciate the unique nature of jazz music as an art form.
Activities -- Discussions about jazz history will take place on a regular basis, primarily in conjunction with the performance of older-style music. Video tapes on jazz history will be shown whenever possible.
Evaluation -- Written or oral tests will be employed.

----- OBJECTIVE 9 -----
A student will learn how to become a proficient sight-reader of music.
Why is this important? -- The ability to perform music on sight is generally regarded as one of the best indicators of a student’s ability to process and understand music. In auditions, both at Ludington and in a student’s future musical experiences, sight-reading plays an important part in determining in which ensemble they will be placed. Students who learn by “rote” teaching will be at a disadvantage when compared to students who have a thorough understanding of fingerings, note values, articulations, dynamics, and the “road signs” that designate expressive musical flow.
Activities -- Ensembles will sight-read whenever possible during rehearsals. Sight-reading will be required in all auditions for ensemble or initial chair placement as well as “challenges” used to determine seat placement
Evaluation -- Students will successfully sight-read in private auditions and with their musical peers in ensembles.

----- OBJECTIVE 10 -----
A student will learn to take care of the printed musical parts issued to them.
Why is this important? -- When an individual’s music is lost or destroyed, it creates significant problems during rehearsals and makes home practice impossible. Students who learn to take care of their instrument and music, thus displaying traits associated with being a responsible young adult are more likely to succeed in their various career paths.

----- OBJECTIVE 11 -----
A student will learn an amount of music theory related to the proficiency level of improvisation they seek to attain.
Why is this important? -- An understanding of music theory is the most basic component in understanding the “right” and “wrong” notes to play when improvising. Students who wish to be outstanding improvisers must, in addition to having technical command of their instrument, also possess a command of scale and chord structure: the basic components of music theory.
Activities -- There will be lectures, demonstrations, and playing activities focusing on the major, minor, whole-tone, blues, bebop, and dominant-seventh scales; major and minor chord structures through the ninth chords. Class warm-ups will include the performance of scale sheets that focus on the previously mentioned scale and chord forms.
Evaluation -- Written tests will be employed.

----- OBJECTIVE 12 -----
A student will perform all twelve major and their relative dorian minor scales on their instrument, and several “blues” scales.
Why is this important? -- Knowing how to play scales is one of the building blocks to creating a successful jazz solo. Successfully performing all the major scales and their relative dorian minor scales demonstrates a technical command of the instrument. While the ability to play and understand the use of all minor scales in solos is important, the dorian minor scales can be used often by beginning improvisors. The most often used “blues” scales are equally essential.
Activities -- Scales will be used during the class warm-up periods of jazz rehearsals. The following “blues” scales will also be used during warm-ups: (concert key) Bb, F, and Eb.
Evaluation -- Students will individually demonstrate their ability to play major, dorian and selected “blues” scales from memory on their instrument.

----- OBJECTIVE 13 -----
A student will be encouraged to use or purchase “playa-long” recordings to help develop improvisational ability.
Why is this important? -- Practicing with play-a-long recordings has long been regarded as an important educational experience. These recordings of jazz standards or practice drills provide rhythm sections of professional quality pianists, bassists, and drummers for the student to play with outside of class time.
Activities -- The Ludington Band Department Music Listening library will provide the complete set of CDs allowing students to select which CD is best for them to purchase. As part of class expectations, students will be required to perform for the class one or more selections accompanied by a recording that they either own or have obtained from the library. Play-a-long recordings will be ordered for individual purchase by students who wish to own their own copies of the Aebersold series.
Evaluation -- Students will perform for the class one or more selections accompanied by a play-along recording.

----- OBJECTIVE 14 -----
Saxophonists, whenever possible, will also be able to perform on either the clarinet or flute.
Why is this important? -- The authentic performance of a significant amount of the more difficult jazz ensemble music requires that saxophonists also play flute and/or clarinet.
Activities -- Pieces of music that utilize the clarinet and/or flute will be studied and performed whenever possible. Beginning in the freshman year on a regular basis, saxophonists will be told that they must be able to double on a woodwind instrument.
Evaluation -- All members of the saxophone section in the Jazz Ensemble will maintain a significant level of skill in playing the flute or clarinet in addition to their primary saxophone. Selections using woodwind doubles will be performed by jazz ensembles whenever possible.

----- OBJECTIVE 15 -----
A student will identify by ear the difference between major, minor, dominant seventh, augmented, and diminished chords, and perform those chord structures on his or her instrument.
Why is this important? -- If a student is to be an adequate improviser, then it is equally important to be able to hear and play these basic jazz chord structures besides having the theoretical knowledge of them.
Activities -- An ensemble pianist or guitarist will play on the instrument major, minor, dominant-seventh, augmented, and diminished chords while others in the ensemble will be asked to identify those structures, either on a sheet of paper to be graded or verbally to the class. Members of the ensemble will be required to arpeggiate the previously mentioned chord structures on their instrument.
Evaluation -- Aural tests will be employed.

----- OBJECTIVE 16 -----
A student will become aware of career or employment opportunities, or college major options available to them in the field of music.
Why is this important? -- The field of music has always provided ample opportunities for students to be gainfully employed following high school or college. Students can only enter into a music-related profession with ample information with which to make a well-informed choice.
Activities -- Class discussions will take place on the topics of vocations and avocations in music performance, music education (all levels), arts management, recording technology, church music, military music, music composition, music arranging, music copying, and music critic or editorial writer for newspapers or magazines. Guest lecturers, including college student teachers, who are successful in their areas of expertise will make presentations to ensemble classes.
Evaluation -- Students may graduate from our jazz studies program and enter vocations or avocations in the field of music.

----- OBJECTIVE 17 -----
A student will be informed of the various college and university schools of music.
Why is this important? -- Students should not consider their participation in high school performance groups as their final goal in music. In order to encourage students to consider post-high school music studies on their instrument, materials and recordings will be made available from the various schools for them to study. When necessary, students will be allowed to miss jazz rehearsals to attend college recruiters that visit Ludington.
Activities -- A collection of CDs recorded by college jazz ensembles will be maintained in the school’s library. A collection of music school brochures and catalogues will be maintained in the College Counseling Office.
Evaluation -- Interested students will take advantage of reviewing the written and recorded resources that are provided by college music schools.

----- OBJECTIVE 18 -----
A student will engage in performance tours or off campus concerts whenever possible.
Why is this important? -- Performance groups that perform away from their school environment, either across town or in another country grow in maturity, both personally and musically.
Activities -- Whenever it is deemed appropriate by the director and school administration, jazz groups will travel beyond the City of Ludington to perform as ambassadors, both musically and as student representatives of Ludington High School.
Evaluation -- Tours or off-campus performances will take place whenever appropriate.

----- OBJECTIVE 19 -----
A student will perform with professional musicians.
Why is this important? -- Students need to know the skill-level, work ethic, and types of personal traits necessary to become a successful professional musician. Former students have later pursued contacts made with professional musicians while at Ludington that have resulted in employment opportunities.
Activities -- Guest artists will be utilized to perform with and for our jazz students. Whenever possible, discussion sessions will take place between the artists and our students, in addition to performances.
Evaluation -- Guest artists will perform with and for our students.

----- OBJECTIVE 20 -----
A student will either perform a well-crafted improvised solo, or know what constitutes such an improvised solo.
Why is this important? -- Performing a truly improvised solo displays the highest form of jazz creativity: that of spontaneous composition. Virtually anyone listening to a jazz solo has some opinion about what could be regarded as a “good” or a “bad” solo. Students need to know the components of both good and bad solos and be given the opportunity to experiment with soloing. Student who choose not to solo will at least be equipped with the understanding of what makes a solo “good” and know why they like certain solos rather than others.
Activities -- Every student in the jazz program will be given an opportunity to perform a solo during rehearsals and concerts.
Evaluation -- Improvised solos performed by our students will improve over the course of the school year, or their time at Ludington

----- OBJECTIVE 21 ----- --
A student will have the opportunity to become aware of the skill-level of other jazz musicians their age and of high school jazz ensembles outside of Ludington, and to interact with students from other high schools.
Why is this important? -- A wise musician knows that there are many others beyond his or her immediate area that have the same or much higher skills. Possessing this knowledge is critical to students who are considering either a career in music or becoming a college music major. Unless opportunities are provided for our jazz students to see and hear the products from jazz programs at other schools, they can easily take for granted the music program provided them at Ludington.
Activities -- Every student will be expected to participate in multiple Jazz Festivals such as Central Michigan University, University of Michigan, Western Michigan, Michigan State and the MSBOA State Jazz Festival. Discussions will take place during class time about the various summer jazz camp opportunities that exist. By attending these camps while at Ludington, our students can meet students from other schools, be exposed to different teaching styles, keep their performance skills active during the summer, perform in environments different than those at Ludington, take music theory/ history/improvisation classes, and participate in a host of other educational activities.
Evaluation -- Discussions in and out of class between our students and directors will evaluate the degree to which interaction has taken place and the impact that such interaction has made on our students.

----- OBJECTIVE 22 -----
A student will be informed of the opportunities for summer music camp experiences.
Why is this important? -- The summer is a prime time for students to either lose ground on their instrumental abilities or improve in their musical development. Attending a summer music camp is one of the best methods of improving during the summer months.
Activities -- Class discussions will take place in February about the various types of music camps, costs, and other information provided by music camps. Scholarships will be made available to students with financial needs.
Evaluation -- Students who are interested will attend summer music camps.

----- OBJECTIVE 23 -----
A student will have the opportunity to be exposed to the teaching styles of other music educators.
Why is this important? -- There are many ways of saying (or teaching) the same thing. As in any school, our music faculty has various strengths and weaknesses. By exposing our students to non-Ludington music teachers, they can be exposed to the pedagogical strengths that other teachers can provide them. Highly qualified students will be encouraged to audition for the all-district and all-state ensembles sponsored by the Michigan State Band and Orchestra Association
Evaluation -- Students will have access to guest directors.

----- OBJECTIVE 24 -----
A student will be encouraged to arrange or compose music and will be exposed to new music by guest composers.
Why is this important? -- Musical expression can take more forms than just the performance of another person’s music. The act of arranging and composing music demonstrates command of the mechanics of music theory, an understanding of instruments and their roles in the total musical product, and an opportunity to demonstrate self-expression and creativity.

----- OBJECTIVE 25 -----
A student will regularly present his or her musical skills on television, radio, and Internet.
Why is this important? -- By videotaping concerts and broadcasting them to the community, our students can copy those tapes off the air for self-assessment and future enjoyment. They can also appreciate the amount of work it takes to present a television broadcast.
Activities -- By using the Ludington Band Department website and online video production, students will have the opportunity to release audio and video or their performance online and throughout the community.
Evaluation -- Televised performances of Ludington concerts will take place.

----- OBJECTIVE 26 -----
A student will become aware of the various jazz-related websites that exist on the Internet.
Why is this important? -- An understanding of the potential for information available to jazz students on the Internet is helpful for them to become lifelong learners who can stay aware of new trends in jazz performance and education.
Activities -- Students will be taken to a computer lab at the school and be given the opportunity to not only explore the Ludington Music Department’s webpage, www.ludingtonbands.com, and the school’s website, site but also explore numerous jazz-related links. They will compile a list of services or information on those various Web pages and be encouraged to locate additional jazz related web sites that can be linked to our Ludington bands web page.
Evaluation -- Students will complete worksheets that question their knowledge of the school’s various websites and the jazz-related websites and links that are discussed or observed in class.

----- OBJECTIVE 27 -----
A student will have his or her talents broadcast on the Internet.
Why is this important? -- The technology utilized by Ludington Bands will allow concerts to be broadcast online shortly after they are completed. This allows our students the opportunity to learn about technology and have their talents seen and heard worldwide.
Evaluation -- Taped concerts will be broadcast online and archived on the Internet at www.ludingtonbands.com.

----- OBJECTIVE 28 -----
A student will have his or her talents recorded on compact discs.
Why is this important? -- The art of recording is a valuable skill for any musician. Being able to play an instrument well while being recorded builds self-confidence. Having a student’s skills recorded for personal evaluation and posterity is beneficial as well. Having live musicians to record is a tremendous training tool for students who my someday seek a career in the recording industry as engineers.
Activities -- Using department software, all concerts will be recorded and at least one compact disc will be produced each year. These CDs will be engineered by students at all stages of production.
Evaluation -- CDs will be produced each year featuring all of the curricular jazz ensembles and selected other small groups.

----- OBJECTIVE 29 -----
A student will understand principles and techniques of electronic sound reinforcement.
Why is this important? -- Being knowledgeable about the electronic production or reinforcement of sound/music allows students to be better performers, as they can take advantage of the potential of sound reinforcement for being a positive and negative aspect of their performance. Based on their experience in the jazz program, students may even desire to enter sound-reinforcement fields as vocations or avocations following graduation.
Activities -- Jazz ensemble students will actively assist in setting-up in various performance settings. Discussions about microphone placement and the roles of various equipment used for sound reinforcement will take place during class time and in small groups outside of class time.
Evaluation -- A correctly operating sound system will be used during jazz concerts assembled and operated by students.

----- OBJECTIVE 30 -----
A student will be responsible for helping to promote audience attendance at jazz concerts.
Why is this important? -- Students need to know that audiences do not “just happen” and that it takes work to generate an interest on the part of nonparents to attend concerts. Without an audience a concert is just a “run-through” rehearsal.

----- OBJECTIVE 31 -----
A student enrolled in the jazz ensemble must be concurrently enrolled in a band (Wind Symphony) any exceptions to this rule must be overridden by band director.
Why is this important? -- Young players will learn the basic skills of musicianship and broad repertoire in a large ensemble (band or orchestra). Participating in a jazz ensemble will teach students how to take those basic skills and adapt their articulation and “feel” to a jazz style. Many students at the ninth grade level do not know what they will major in when they later go to college. They may not discover that until as late as their senior year. Students who participate in both a jazz ensemble and a concert will be better prepared for acceptance into reputable music schools after high school. A student who plays in band and jazz ensemble will be much better prepared to make value judgments about the quality of more types of music for the rest of their life. Since traditional band and orchestra repertoire does not support the full time participation of guitarists or pianists, those students are exempt from this requirement.
Activities -- Students will be counseled in the “Program of Studies,” by their high school counselors that concurrent enrollment is required.
Evaluation -- With the exception of guitarists and pianists, all students enrolled in a jazz ensemble will also be enrolled in the Wind Symphony.

APPENDIX
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS AS DESCRIBED
IN THE LUDINGTON AREA SCHOOL’S BAND HANDBOOK

Music education is the education of human feeling through the development of responsiveness to the aesthetic qualities of sound. Performance classes provide intimate contact with these expressive qualities. In this context, performance is not an end in itself, but a means to an end, which includes:

• the augmentation of knowledge and understanding of the structural elements of music, and of music as a creative art form;

• the cultivation of habits, attitudes, and appreciations;

• the development of each student’s aesthetic potential, sensitivity and responsiveness to that which is beautiful in music.

Students who have participated in the music program should demonstrate a knowledge of music as a creative art form in a historical and cultural context; an understanding of the structural elements of music; and relevant eye, ear and hand-oriented musical skills. It is the intent of the Music Department to help students develop their aesthetic potential, to give them an understanding of their own culture and the cultures of others, and to provide a unique vehicle for achieving excellence either alone or in cooperation with others. While some students will discover talents leading to careers in music, many will find that music has the potential to enrich their lives either through performance, study or appreciation.

----- IMPORTANT JAZZ BAND LINKS -----
Band Calendar
Jazz Band General Information
Jazz Studies Curriculum
Jazz Band Course Outline