Westside High School
Beginning Jazz Band 9-12
High School Music Syllabus
Fall Semester 2013
To be continued in Spring Semester 2014
Class Time: monday - friday 45 min / day
Office: Band Room, 715
Phone: (478)779-3839
E-mail:tallenwestside@gmail.com
Office Hours: 2:15-3:00
Instructor / Coordinator:
Mr. Tyler Allen
Course Materials:
Method Book: Standard of excellence jazz ensemble method (provided) Niel A. Kjos Music
Company
Improvisation Study Books: Jamey Aebersold Play-A-Long series
Online texts:
www.jazzinamerica.org
www.neajazzinourschools.com
documentaries from the school library
youtube clips
Learning Outcomes:
1. The student will be able to recognize and perform all basic instrumental articulations within
the first 9 weeks of instruction.
2. The student will be able to identify: half and whole steps, simple meter, simple rhythmic
notation, recognize simple key signatures (2 sharps to 4 flats), as well as identify major,
minor, dorian, and blues scales.
3. The student will be able to improvise using the notes of the various scales along with varying
dynamics, rhythm, articulation, and timbre.
4. The student will be able to match pitches, imitate simple melodic patterns, while
incorporating dorian and blue scale motifs.
5. The student will be able to identify and recognize the major musical components of ragtime,
the blues, dixieland, big band (the early years), and big band music (postwar to the present).
The students will also be able to identify the era or years in which these styles were most
prominent as well as identify the major musicians of that style.
6. The student will be able to identify various jazz styles and relate them to historical and social
events.
Units:
1. Introduction - Jazz articulations and style
2. Ragtime
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
The Blues
Dixieland
Big Band Music (the Early Years)
The Big Band Boom
Big Band Music (Postwar to Present)
Tentative Course Schedule:
Week of:
8/5: Introduction / Basic jazz notation and articulations
including swung 8ths, bent notes
Accented Beats v. Unaccented Beats
History/Cultural - Humble beginnings of jazz
8/12: Application of the basics including rhythmic and articulation studies and improv
These will be in conjunction with the Standard of excellence jazz ensemble method book
8/19: Continuation of the basics
scoops, drops and glissandos
improv using the c dorian scale and utilizing the various articulations learned
8/26: Introduction of Ragtime
Historical context
social context
syncopation study
youtube study - scott joplin
9/3: Ragtime notation and distinct sound
Quiz over Unit 1 and 2
9/9: Introduction of the Blues
form and Blue notes
youtube study - Louis Armstrong
Pbs jazz documentary - vaudeville, bessie smith, john and alan lomax
9/16: Application of the Blues
Famous works study
Youtube examples - match the style
9/23: Improv using the Blues -- Quiz over Unit 3
improv study - Jamey Aebersold cd set
9/30: Designed academic flexibility timeframe -- Comprehensive test of Units 1-3
10/15: Introduction of Dixieland
jazzinamerica.org - dixieland study
youtube study - king oliver
Youtube study - louis armstrong
10/21: Dixieland flex combo groups -- Quiz over Unit 4
10/28: Introduction of the Big Band
youtube study - duke ellington
great depression
11/4: Music of the Big Band -- Quiz over Unit 5
utilize standard of excellence and music library
11/11: The Big Band Boom
cotton club - what was it? who used it? why was it successful?
11/18: Leaders and Innovators of the Big Band Boom -- Quiz over Unit 6
singers- billie Holiday, ella fitzgerald, cab callaway
band leaders- Count basie, tommy dorsey, duke ellington, benny goodman, woody
herman
12/2: Big Band Music (Postwar to Present)
the big band as a sustainable jazz style
12/9: Evolution of the Big Band
historical and social context - role of the radio and t.v. in the evolution of the big
band
12/16: Designed academic flexibility timeframe -- Comprehensive final Units 1-7
Tentative Performance Schedule:
12/12 Holiday Concert - 6:00 pm WHS Cafeteria
Mid February Black History Month - TBA
Late April Smooth Move - TBA
5/16 Band Banquet - 6:00 pm WHS Cafeteria
Assignments:
Each unit will have a simple handout which will contain pertinent information regarding the style
period being studied. Students will be guided through these handouts but will be expected to use
these as a valuable study tool. Students will also be asked to research an artist of one of the style
periods being studied and to give a brief seven minute presentation of their findings that includes
technology.
Assessments and Grading:
Students will be assessed through the use of written, oral, and performance quizzes and test.
Each Unit will have a unit quiz along with a mid term (week of 9/30) and a final (week of
12/16). Each quiz and test will be cumulative in nature. Performances both individual and
ensemble will be evaluated to measure progress and will be assessed using appropriate music
guidelines. Students will perform weekly or Bi-weekly performance test.
Grading is based on a score of 0-100, F=0-69, C=70-79, B=80-89, A=90-100 etc:
20% Rehearsal and Performance Attendance
20% Daily Participation and Preparedness
20% Performance Quizzes
15% Online Quizzes
5% Written Mid Term, cumulative
5% Mid Term Performance
7.5% Final Exam Written, cumulative
7.5% Final Exam Performance
Rehearsal and Performance Attendance:
Concert attendance 10 points without approved excuse
Rehearsal attendance according to school attendance policy.
Daily participation and preparedness:
The students will be asked to have their supplies needed for the course on a daily basis.
The students are also expected to spend time outside of the classroom practicing their music.
Students showing improvement from rehearsal to rehearsal will be graded with 5 points
per day
and a student who is not prepared may receive only a segment or portion of the 5
points.
Performance quizzes and performance midterm:
Performances both individual and ensemble will be evaluated to measure progress and
will be assessed using appropriate music guidelines. See attached rubric. Students will perform
weekly or Bi-weekly performance test.
Online quizzes:
Online quizzes will be administered at the end of every unit and will be cumulative in
nature.
These quizzes will be taken by students online and will be evaluated with the
students
receiving a printed grade report for each quiz taken.
Written Midterm and Written Final Exam:
includes material from online quizzes, also knowledge-based questions from text,
documentaries, youtube materials. This may be online or handwritten depending on
content
evaluated.
Final Exam, Performance:
The final exam performance will consist of major, minor, and modal scales as covered in
the jazz text and pieces worked on throughout the semester. The students will be evaluated using
the same rubric made available for the performance quizzes and performance mid-term.
Attendance:
The attendance policy will follow all county and school policies. If a student has five or more
unexcused absences the student will automatically receive a grade of 69
National Standards for Music Education:
1 Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
2 Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
3 Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
4 Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
5 Reading and notating music.
6 Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
7 Evaluating music and music performances.
8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
U.S. History/Social Studies Standards
1. Culture
2. Time, Continuity, and Change
3. People, Places, and Environments
4. Individual, Development, and Identity
5. Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
6. Power, Authority, and Governance
10. Civic Ideals and Practices