Principal Study Jazz 2

This module builds upon the work of Stage 1 of the programme, allowing you to further extend and deepen your musical work in a range of contexts.

Module aims

This module is designed to:

• Foster advanced technical and expressive mastery in jazz
• Further refine a mature and imaginative musical personality and provide opportunities for its projection in-and-through practice
• Expand a knowledge base that informs and supports the skills of improvisation and facilitates creativity in the solving of complex musical problems
• Nurture and develop composition/arranging ability to a high standard with a view to engagement at a professional level.
• Consolidate the skills to pursue and sustain fulfilling, lifelong learning leading to informed performance at a professional level and potentially leading to further higher degrees and research
• Further establish perception, listening skills and self awareness and their application through responsive liaison and co-operation in rehearsal and performance.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module you will be able to:

• LO1 Show advanced technical and expressive mastery in jazz
• LO2 Project a mature and individual musical personality in-and-through your principal study
• LO3 Employ critical thinking in-and-through the process of making music

Assessment

Assessment 1: Performance B (50% or 25% + 25%)

Assessed LOs: 1, 2, 3.

Assessment 2: Performance A (50%)

Assessed LOs: 1, 2, 3.

As well as offering a heightened level of demand, the Stage 2 Assessment Specifications give you the opportunity to challenge and extend your musicality through one of two specialist options: the ‘Agential Artist’, in which you work with students on the MFA Classical and Contemporary Text to devise and perform new work; and the self-created ‘Independent Project’.

Assessment criteria

Assessors will look for:

LO1 – Show advanced technical and expressive mastery in jazz

• perceptive listening
• agility/fluency
• range and flexibility of sound
• exploitation of the capabilities of the instrument/voice
• melodic shaping, line and texture
• dynamic range and shaping
• control of tempo and time feel
• intonation
• in singing: pronunciation, accent, languages
• command of jazz theory and harmony

in Composing and Arranging

• originality and creative imagination

in Collaboration on Creation of New Work

• critical understanding of the collaborative process
• creative and effective collaboration with the composer

LO2 – Project a mature and individual musical personality in-and-through your principal study

• spontaneity and originality in improvisation
• structure and thematic development in improvisation
• individuality in concept and approach
• performances which can challenge both the artist and audience
• creativity in performance
• stage presence
• communication and leadership within the ensemble

in Composing and Arranging

• originality and creative imagination
• consistency and individuality of style
• creation of interesting counterpoint with front line instruments

in Studio Recording Projects

• editing
• interpretative decisions and quality of sound
• mixing
• mastering and ordering of repertoire
• quality of improvisation
• imagination in the compositions/arrangements

in Collaboration on Creation of New Work

• critical understanding of the collaborative process

LO3 – Employ critical thinking in-and-through the process of making music

• understanding of structure, form and genre
• a knowledge of jazz repertoire, its content, context and trend
• contribution to audience experience
• quality of information
• imagination

in Studio Recording Projects:

• an informed and considered choice of recorded sound quality appropriate to the repertoire
• an informed and considered choice of editing points appropriate to the recording
• ownership of and engagement in all aspects of process
• rationale for choice of repertoire, sound quality and edit points
• an understanding of context with reference to other recordings

Feedback

You will recieve regular formative feedback from your tutor in your lessons, and a written report twice a year. In some departments the tutor report will take the form of a mutually constructed feedback session.

You will receive a written feedback report on each A and B assessment.

Resources

Essential

Key resources will be recommended by principal study tutors.

Summary details

Module title	Principal Study Jazz 2
SCQF level	11
Credit rating	90 SCQF (45 ECTS)
Total notional student effort hours	900
Status	Core
Module coordinator	Head of Department
Pre-requisites	Principal Study Jazz 1
Co-requisites	Supporting Studies 2
Anti-requisites	None
Learning modes	Indicative hours
Scheduled study	30 (minimum)
Independent study	870 (maximum)
Total notional student effort	900