Courses

Instrumental laboratory for piano principals emphasizing comping studies and their application to the funk/fusion idiom. Recorded material for play-along purposes.

Instrumental laboratory for piano principals emphasizing the application of comping techniques to a variety of Latin and Latin-influenced jazz and pop music styles. Use of recorded material for play-along purposes as well as transcriptions of comping of major Latin piano players.

Instrumental laboratory for piano principals emphasizing the application of comping techniques to a variety of roots of rock styles influenced by blues, New Orleans, and gospel music. Use of recorded material and transcriptions of influential players. Emphasis on in-class performance and play-along.

This course emphasizes rhythmic aspects and the historical context of Afro-Cuban piano montunos. Harmonic vocabulary includes triads and sixth chords in inversions, and A and B standard jazz voicings for major, minor, and dominant seventh chords. Harmonic contexts used in class encompass one chord, I-IV-V-VI-I progression and variations, and standard jazz tunes. All examples are in duple meter.

The course explores the rhythmic and harmonic/melodic vocabulary in Afro-Cuban piano improvisation. Phrasing with the clave is a main focus of the course. Percussion instrument patterns are explored in-depth as they relate to the clave and influence the role of the piano. Percussion (quinto) solos are analyzed and compared to piano solos. Broad exposure to a variety of piano solos will reveal typical elements of the idiom.

A performance lab intended for keyboardists with little or no experience in improvisation. Instructional focus is on understanding of materials of improvisation both theoretically and aurally, and assimilating these materials into established musical forms and styles. Learning methods include playing with tapes and MIDI sequences, various call-and-response activities, and writing, performing, and analyzing improvisations.

In this course, students explore the style and original compositions of Bill Evans, including Waltz for Debby, Turn Out the Stars, Bill’s Hit Tune, Re:Person I Knew, Orbit, Letter to Evan, and more; as well as versions of common jazz standards such as Stella By Starlight, Witchcraft, Spring is Here, and Solar. Students focus on creating a musical conversation within the jazz trio, comping, improvisation, and harmonic analysis. Course materials include recordings and transcriptions. Knowledge of topics covered in HR-212: Harmony 4 is useful but not required. A bass player and drummer will be provided.

Instrumental lab for piano principals emphasizing techniques of playing the Hammond B3 organ in blues styles. Analysis and performance of blues and blues-related music including gospel, jazz blues, and soul.

Instrumental lab for piano principals emphasizing techniques of playing the Hammond organ in rock styles. Study of recorded material and transcriptions of influential players; in-class recording.

Continued study of specific techniques for Hammond organ learned in ILPN-335, Hammond Organ Techniques. Greater emphasis on left-hand bass and foot-pedal bass. Exploration of the role of organ in a variety of settings, including jazz organ trio, rock band, acid jam band, gospel choir, and recording studio.

This course is designed for pianists with intermediate to advanced level piano skills whose background has consisted of playing traditionally notated music. This piano literature course will introduce piano music written by composers of African descent starting from the late 18th century to living composers of today.  Students will engage in dialogue around the composers' compositional philosophies as well as their personal life stories, cultural struggles, and political crises. Students will also have the opportunity to perform various works by selected composers while also learning about the history, the literature, and performance practices of the piano repertoire.