The Jazz Improvisation Orchestra

The Jazz Improvisation Orchestra is a Humanities, Arts and Cultural Studies class taught by Marty Ehrlich.

Course Description
This is a performance-oriented class, culminating in a concert at the end of the semester. Each student will be challenged to develop his or her skills as an ensemble musician and as a soloist. We will use compositions and improvisational contexts from the whole history of jazz and American vernacular music, up to the great diversity of the present day. Along with performance, each student will do a study of an influential artist. This analysis will include musical transcriptions as well as a written component. The performance of original compositions and arrangements can be part of the class as well. The Hampshire Jazz Improvisation Orchestra is open to all instruments, including voice. Facility in reading music and a functional understanding of jazz harmony is required. Prerequisite: Tonal Theory I and Tonal Theory II or equivalent Five College music courses. An audition will be given during the first class session for those students new to the class.