Jazz Improvisation Workshop 1
Colin Gordon, Instructor
Wednesdays, beginning on September 24th
6-6:45pm
8 sessions: $200, scholarships available
Open to teens (6th grade and older) on all instruments.
This course provides an introduction to jazz theory and improvisation. No prior experience improvising is required. This class is designed to support students currently participating in jazz band as well as those preparing to join for the first time, offering a clear progression of skills and concepts that will build both confidence and musical fluency.
The curriculum emphasizes listening, imitating, and creating basic melodies and harmonies. Instruction begins with the simplest forms and gradually advances toward the study of standard jazz repertoire:
-
Folk Tunes and Simple Progressions – exploring melodies supported by only a few chords (primarily tonic and dominant) to establish a foundation in harmony and phrasing. Various modes and tonalities are included.
-
Blues – examining blues forms that employ only a few chords, leading into the 12-bar blues as a cornerstone of jazz improvisation.
-
Classic Jazz Song Forms – introducing 32-bar popular song form as the framework for much of the American songbook.
- Jazz Standards – engaging with repertoire that incorporates richer harmonic progressions, chord substitutions, and the complexity typical of modern jazz.
Class Refund Policy
Classes should be paid in full at the time of registration. If a student needs to withdraw from a class, a partial refund may be issued within 2 weeks of the first class date.
