Advanced Student Composers in the Jazz Ensemble

Advanced student composers at the high school level should continue to expand their experiences and work toward larger individual projects. While selected beginning and intermediate jazz ensemble method books are no longer an essential guide at this level, the music being studied and rehearsed in the jazz ensemble can inform the compositional process.

Listening experiences should expand beyond the current performance level of the jazz ensemble. Contemporary music from composers such as Maria Schneider, Carla Bley, Terence Blanchard, Christian McBride, and many others should be studied. For instance, a review of the Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra recordings will initially reveal the traditional jazz ensemble instrumentation. However, Schneider adeptly expands the instrumentation to the full range of woodwinds, a full flugelhorn section, accordion, and auxiliary percussion on select compositions.

Multiple opportunities for score study should exist, and the in-depth study of music currently being prepared for performance is suggested. The continued importance of listening, learning of additional musical styles, and experimentation with contemporary techniques and instrumentation should be emphasized. Student composers at all levels should have opportunities to perform their compositions at every level. In addition, they should interact with a diverse group of professional jazz composers at all levels of the learning process.

Composition Project Ideas for Intermediate and Advanced Student Composers. Intermediate and advanced student composers should be able to work independently, be familiar with a variety of jazz and jazz-related styles, identify and compose in swing and other styles, use 12-bar blues, 32-bar song form, and other forms as a basis for their compositions, etc. For a major composition project, have the students compose a section of a piece, or a full piece based on the chord progression and form of an existing piece in a selected style. A jazz or bossa nova standard is suggested. It is hoped that the many listening activities help to inspire stylistic choices for the student composers. The director may need to guide the students in this area. This is an additive project that can lead to a completed section of a composition or an entire composition.

Multiple approaches can be taken for such a project, however, at an advanced level, the potential for being overly prescriptive does exist. The director should primarily guide from a distance, perhaps setting specific timelines or deadlines for the completion and review of sections of the composition. For those composers that require more direction, starting the composing project with the saxophone section and its SATB voicing, along with the desired form and style, can help to organize an entire composition. This can lead to decisions regarding the creation of new musical ideas, or the doubling of certain saxophone parts or melodic lines in the trumpet section, or lower saxophone parts in the trombone section, among other approaches. Each jazz ensemble section can sight read and record major sections of the composition as the project is in progress so the composers can hear their work played by actual instruments, and not just the reproduction from the notation software.

The use of style-appropriate articulation is highly suggested at this level. Also, clear markings indicating phrasing, releases, and dynamics, must be included. The piano, guitar, and bass parts should include chord progressions and notation as necessary. The drum set parts should indicate style, the overall feel, rhythmic figures that need support from the drums, melodic figures that require rhythmic set-ups, the intended articulation, anticipation of dynamics, the suggested variation of cymbal patterns, etc.

The final projects should be rehearsed and recorded along with the other rehearsal repertoire. Consider having the advanced composer run the music rehearsal, or at least provide an introduction to the music prior to the rehearsal. The composer needs to understand all phases of the rehearsal and performance in order to have the complete concept in mind, from the initial compositional ideas to the actual performances of the music. A jazz ensemble concert including or featuring student compositions would be an added extension to the existing jazz program.

Additional Activities.Consider composing with lead sheets only and having the ensemble members help develop the flow, fill out harmonies, etc. This could develop as a group composition after the individual shares a lead sheet of their composition ideas. Consider creating time for “composition workshops” outside of the jazz ensemble rehearsal to encourage students to compose and collaborate with their peers as needed. The intermediate and advanced high school composers need sections and full ensembles to read their work in progress, as played by live musicians.

The school jazz ensemble can read new student compositions during the jazz ensemble rehearsal, at a pace and frequency that is appropriate. In order to save time, the score and parts to each composition should be made available to the director in advance. The director can audio record the reading sessions for future review by the composers. A peer-review process can be utilized, and individual jazz ensemble members can provide feedback during or after the reading session. The process benefits all musicians, as the frequent reflection and discussion of the compositional process should occur at every level. Composers need time to reflect and try new ideas. While digital notation and playback works well, the live reading sessions provide excellent experience for the composer and band members.

University jazz ensembles sight-read music regularly. To extend the reading session experience, the high school director should consider inviting an area university jazz ensemble to read student compositions. If this is not possible to do in person, perhaps the university ensemble director would consider reading and recording the music. A professional jazz ensemble may be available as well. This activity could be combined with a clinic or shared rehearsal situation.

University music education students need to observe this composition process in school jazz ensemble rehearsals. At times, students assume that the performance ensemble is the only area of teaching and learning music, as they may have been previously instructed in that manner. Although composition is included in various music standards, the “performance only” approach must be modified to include more diverse student musical experiences.

The student jazz composer can greatly benefit from having a professional jazz composer share their techniques, processes, and ideas with the students, and perhaps share a work in progress. Consider hosting an in-person clinic for this purpose. The composer may be willing to have the school ensemble read their music, which could provide specific insight.

References: Burlingame, S. (n.d.). Billie’s bounce (1945). Jazzstandards.com. https://www.jazzstandards. com/compositions-1/billiesbounce.htm

Burlingame, S. (n.d.). Groovin’ high (1944). Jazzstandards.com. http://www.jazzstandards.

Dunscomb, J. R. & Hill Jr., W. L. (2002). Jazz pedagogy: The jazz educator’s handbook and resource guide. Warner Brothers Publications.

Hickey, M. (1997). Teaching ensembles to compose and improvise. Music Educators Journal, 83(6), 17-21. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3399019 Jazz at Lincoln Center. (n.d.). Jazz academy. https://academy.jazz.org/

Knaster, J. M. (2016). Middle school jazz band students’ experiences composing and improvising. (Publication No. 10157396) [Master’s thesis, University of Delaware]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.

Koops, A. P. (2013). Facilitating composition in instrumental settings. In M. Kaschub & J. P. Smith (Eds.), Composing our future: Preparing music educators to teach composition (pp. 149-166). New York: Oxford University Press.