Composition & Arranging

Songwriting

In this course students explore melody writing, basic harmony (as well as some more adventurous chord progressions), discuss song form and rhyme schemes, and cultivate the instrumental component of songwriting all with the purpose of homing in on each student’s unique songwriting voice. Every week there are in-class and at-home composition and listening exercises and students begin the daily practices of “morning pages” and melody/harmony transcription. Most importantly, students develop two or three songs over the course of the ten weeks, to be presented and workshopped in class.

SPRING: 4/6 – 6/8 (10 weeks)

Saturdays 11:45 am – 1:15 pm

Rachel Efron $365

Arranging

Producer/arranger/keyboardist Frank Martin guides students in creating fresh arrangements of jazz standards. A wide range of compositional techniques and musical devices are explored and applied to class assignments including: the use of different rhythmic feels and grooves; reharmonization; form changes; innovative intros, outros, codas and vamps; and alterations to melody and lyrics. Students sing and/or play selected repertoire in a variety of styles and learn how to make even the most common standards sound new. A hands-on 10-week class packed with invaluable information! Open to instrumentalists and vocalists.

Prerequisites: some knowledge of jazz theory and harmony.

SPRING: not offered

Thursdays 6:30 – 8 pm

Frank Martin  $365