This course is for musicians who have little or no experience of improvising, and wish to give it a go. Participants will be encouraged to express themselves using a range of well established strategies in a supportive group environment. All instruments and levels are welcome.  

• To foster an understanding of scholarly and musical debates involved in the historical and practical study of improvised music.
• To introduce students to the music and performing style of a range of improvised music, including jazz, blues, pop and rock.
• To introduce students - both theoretically and practically - to some of the jazz and modal scales that are used in improvised music.
• To enable students to perform some live music on their own instruments.
• To provide a social and historical context in which improvised music and its main exponents can be situated and better understood.

Knowledge and Understanding:

• Have the ability to discuss meaningfully the main stylistic features of various types of improvised music.
• Demonstrate a theoretical knowledge of some of the scales that are employed in such music, and show an ability to use these in practice.
• Show, through performance, an awareness of the particular styles of improvised music.
• Demonstrate an awareness of the social, historical and political contexts of various genres of improvised music.

 Intellectual Skills:

• Integrate information derived from classes, discussion and private study.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the broad contextual knowledge relevant to the topic.
• Articulate a developing personal and critical stance in relation to relevant academic arguments.
• Show ability to exercise judgement and make informed choices.

 Discipline Specific (including practical) Skills:

• Pursue independent academic enquiry.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the performance style of improvised music and, through performance on their own instrument, a basic competence of replicating a variety of styles authentically.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the interrelationship of analytical and contextual aspects of historical and practical study in music.

 Teaching and learning are undertaken by means of small group teaching, in which fundamental information about the module topic – including contextual matters – is presented. Methods include aural analysis (recorded musical examples), presentation of material on video and/or DVD, and the practical study and demonstration of the styles and genres under discussion. One of the principal aims of this method is to stimulate students into discussion and debate, and further exploration.

 Students are also expected to spend additional time in private reading, listening and practising.

 There are 20 contact hours.

• Communicate ideas and arguments effectively in oral and written form.
• Assemble information and draw appropriate conclusions from it.
• Make effective use of libraries and, when appropriate, the internet

 Formative assessment is provided through discussion in class.

 Summative assessment is by means of a written class test (scales and other stylistic elements) and a solo or group performance (in a variety of styles, appropriate to the student’s instrument).

• An introduction to the music and performing styles of a variety of improvised music and its main musical exponents.
• A brief history of improvised music, focusing particularly on jazz.
• Theory: scales and other stylistic elements of the genres under discussion.
• Practical study and demonstration of various styles, including jazz, blues, rock and pop.
• Solo or group performance of one or a collection of compositions in appropriate style.
• Provide a social and historical context in which improvised music and its main exponents can be situated and better understood.

 The tutor will recommend specific audio and/or DVD recordings and documentaries.