Ensembles
The primary focus of all the ensembles is musical precision. Other skills include learning how to become an effective soloist and playing stylistically correct within each genre of music.
We believe that ultimately all music comes down to two basic types: good or bad, regardless of the style, so some overlap in repertoire between groups is to be expected.
Placement is based on ability.
Jazz A
Jazz B
Jazz C
Instrumentation: Saxophones; Trombone; Trumpets; Piano, Bass, Guitar, & Drums and vocalists.
Repertoire will include traditional Big Band Jazz along with small group arrangements , as well as selections spanning a variety of musical styles: Funk, Rock, and Latin.
Instrumentation: Saxophones; Trombone; Trumpets; Piano, Bass, Guitar, & Drums and vocalists.
Repertoire will focus on historically important classics from the R&B and Rock genres
Classes
Class size limited to 5-6 students
Using a hands-on approach to learning the fundamentals of composing regardless of genre (Pop, Big Band or Woodwind Quartet), the focus is songwriting in it’s various forms, utilizing modern recording and notation technology.
Beginner
Advanced
Using a hands on approach, students will work as an ensemble to understand and execute improvisation fundamentals including: chord/scale theory; basic harmonic progressions; learning how to listen, and playing off a lead-sheet. Beginner and Advanced classes are available. Beginner classes will focus on fundamentals and assume no knowledge of modal and scale theory.
Placement Audition Requirements
Auditions for proper placement in each class/ensemble are to ascertain each student’s ability. Students should prepare a piece that showcases their skills on their instrument and also will be asked to sight read.
Course Schedule
Sunday
4:00 to 5:30 pm
Introduction to Improvisation and Music Theory
6:00 to 8:00 pm
Jazz Ensemble A
Monday
7:00 to 8:30 pm
Jazz Ensemble C
Tuesday
6:30 to 8:00 pm
Advanced Improvisation
7:30 to 9:00 pm
R&B Ensemble
Thursday
6:00 to 7:30 pm
Composition and Songwriting Class
7:30 to 9:00 pm
Jazz Ensemble B
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Composition and Songwriting Class 6:00 pm Composition and Songwriting Class @ Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 2 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Class size limited to 5-6 students Using a hands-on approach to learning the fundamentals of composing regardless of genre (Pop,[...] Jazz Ensemble B 7:30 pm Jazz Ensemble B @ The Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 2 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm Instrumentation: Saxophones; Trombone; Trumpets; Piano, Bass, Guitar, & Drums and vocalists. Repertoire will include traditional Big Band Jazz along with small[...] | ||||||
| Introduction to Improvisation and Music Theory 4:00 pm Introduction to Improvisation and Music Theory @ The Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 5 @ 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm Using a hands on approach, students will work as an ensemble to understand and execute improvisation fundamentals including: chord/scale theory;[...] Jazz Ensemble A 6:00 pm Jazz Ensemble A @ The Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 5 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Instrumentation: Saxophones; Trombone; Trumpets; Piano, Bass, Guitar, & Drums and vocalists. Repertoire will include traditional Big Band Jazz along with small[...] | Jazz Ensemble C 7:00 pm Jazz Ensemble C @ The Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 6 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm Instrumentation: Saxophones; Trombone; Trumpets; Piano, Bass, Guitar, & Drums and vocalists. Repertoire will include traditional Big Band Jazz along with small[...] | Advanced Improvisation 6:30 pm Advanced Improvisation @ Westchester Center for Jazz Jan 7 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Using a hands on approach, students will work as an ensemble to understand and execute improvisation fundamentals including: chord/scale theory;[...] R&B Ensemble 7:30 pm R&B Ensemble @ The Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 7 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm Instrumentation: Saxophones; Trombone; Trumpets; Piano, Bass, Guitar, & Drums and vocalists. Repertoire will focus on historically important classics from the R&B[...] | Composition and Songwriting Class 6:00 pm Composition and Songwriting Class @ Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 9 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Class size limited to 5-6 students Using a hands-on approach to learning the fundamentals of composing regardless of genre (Pop,[...] Jazz Ensemble B 7:30 pm Jazz Ensemble B @ The Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 9 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm Instrumentation: Saxophones; Trombone; Trumpets; Piano, Bass, Guitar, & Drums and vocalists. Repertoire will include traditional Big Band Jazz along with small[...] | |||
| Introduction to Improvisation and Music Theory 4:00 pm Introduction to Improvisation and Music Theory @ The Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 12 @ 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm Using a hands on approach, students will work as an ensemble to understand and execute improvisation fundamentals including: chord/scale theory;[...] Jazz Ensemble A 6:00 pm Jazz Ensemble A @ The Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 12 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Instrumentation: Saxophones; Trombone; Trumpets; Piano, Bass, Guitar, & Drums and vocalists. Repertoire will include traditional Big Band Jazz along with small[...] | Jazz Ensemble C 7:00 pm Jazz Ensemble C @ The Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 13 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm Instrumentation: Saxophones; Trombone; Trumpets; Piano, Bass, Guitar, & Drums and vocalists. Repertoire will include traditional Big Band Jazz along with small[...] | Advanced Improvisation 6:30 pm Advanced Improvisation @ Westchester Center for Jazz Jan 14 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Using a hands on approach, students will work as an ensemble to understand and execute improvisation fundamentals including: chord/scale theory;[...] R&B Ensemble 7:30 pm R&B Ensemble @ The Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 14 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm Instrumentation: Saxophones; Trombone; Trumpets; Piano, Bass, Guitar, & Drums and vocalists. Repertoire will focus on historically important classics from the R&B[...] | Composition and Songwriting Class 6:00 pm Composition and Songwriting Class @ Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 16 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Class size limited to 5-6 students Using a hands-on approach to learning the fundamentals of composing regardless of genre (Pop,[...] Jazz Ensemble B 7:30 pm Jazz Ensemble B @ The Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 16 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm Instrumentation: Saxophones; Trombone; Trumpets; Piano, Bass, Guitar, & Drums and vocalists. Repertoire will include traditional Big Band Jazz along with small[...] | |||
| Introduction to Improvisation and Music Theory 4:00 pm Introduction to Improvisation and Music Theory @ The Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 19 @ 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm Using a hands on approach, students will work as an ensemble to understand and execute improvisation fundamentals including: chord/scale theory;[...] Jazz Ensemble A 6:00 pm Jazz Ensemble A @ The Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 19 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Instrumentation: Saxophones; Trombone; Trumpets; Piano, Bass, Guitar, & Drums and vocalists. Repertoire will include traditional Big Band Jazz along with small[...] | Jazz Ensemble C 7:00 pm Jazz Ensemble C @ The Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 20 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm Instrumentation: Saxophones; Trombone; Trumpets; Piano, Bass, Guitar, & Drums and vocalists. Repertoire will include traditional Big Band Jazz along with small[...] | Advanced Improvisation 6:30 pm Advanced Improvisation @ Westchester Center for Jazz Jan 21 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Using a hands on approach, students will work as an ensemble to understand and execute improvisation fundamentals including: chord/scale theory;[...] R&B Ensemble 7:30 pm R&B Ensemble @ The Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 21 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm Instrumentation: Saxophones; Trombone; Trumpets; Piano, Bass, Guitar, & Drums and vocalists. Repertoire will focus on historically important classics from the R&B[...] | Composition and Songwriting Class 6:00 pm Composition and Songwriting Class @ Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 23 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Class size limited to 5-6 students Using a hands-on approach to learning the fundamentals of composing regardless of genre (Pop,[...] Jazz Ensemble B 7:30 pm Jazz Ensemble B @ The Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 23 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm Instrumentation: Saxophones; Trombone; Trumpets; Piano, Bass, Guitar, & Drums and vocalists. Repertoire will include traditional Big Band Jazz along with small[...] | |||
| Introduction to Improvisation and Music Theory 4:00 pm Introduction to Improvisation and Music Theory @ The Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 26 @ 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm Using a hands on approach, students will work as an ensemble to understand and execute improvisation fundamentals including: chord/scale theory;[...] Jazz Ensemble A 6:00 pm Jazz Ensemble A @ The Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 26 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Instrumentation: Saxophones; Trombone; Trumpets; Piano, Bass, Guitar, & Drums and vocalists. Repertoire will include traditional Big Band Jazz along with small[...] | Jazz Ensemble C 7:00 pm Jazz Ensemble C @ The Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 27 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm Instrumentation: Saxophones; Trombone; Trumpets; Piano, Bass, Guitar, & Drums and vocalists. Repertoire will include traditional Big Band Jazz along with small[...] | Advanced Improvisation 6:30 pm Advanced Improvisation @ Westchester Center for Jazz Jan 28 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Using a hands on approach, students will work as an ensemble to understand and execute improvisation fundamentals including: chord/scale theory;[...] R&B Ensemble 7:30 pm R&B Ensemble @ The Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 28 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm Instrumentation: Saxophones; Trombone; Trumpets; Piano, Bass, Guitar, & Drums and vocalists. Repertoire will focus on historically important classics from the R&B[...] | Composition and Songwriting Class 6:00 pm Composition and Songwriting Class @ Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 30 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Class size limited to 5-6 students Using a hands-on approach to learning the fundamentals of composing regardless of genre (Pop,[...] Jazz Ensemble B 7:30 pm Jazz Ensemble B @ The Westchester Center for Jazz & Contemporary Music Jan 30 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm Instrumentation: Saxophones; Trombone; Trumpets; Piano, Bass, Guitar, & Drums and vocalists. Repertoire will include traditional Big Band Jazz along with small[...] |