Music BMus
Jazz Style and Practice MUSIC2026
- Academic Session: 2024-25
- School: School of Culture and Creative Arts
- Credits: 20
- Level: Level 2 (SCQF level 8)
- Typically Offered: Runs Throughout Semesters 1 and 2
- Available to Visiting Students: Yes
- Collaborative Online International Learning: No
Short Description
This course examines the historical emergence of jazz style, as well as introducing and developing essential skills in jazz performance, analysis, and composition/arrangement. This includes providing students with an opportunity to perform in a jazz combo setting; to create jazz arrangements; and to observe, analyse and transcribe recorded jazz performances.
Timetable
10 x 1 hour lectures
12 x 1 hour tutorials
4 x 2 hour workshops
Over 20 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus
Excluded Courses
None.
Co-requisites
None.
Assessment
transcription and analysis - 30%
portfolio containing 2 of 3 elements - 70%
1. Critical Essay (1500 words)
2. Arrangement/composition (minimum 3 mins)
3. Group Performance Individually Assessed
Course Aims
This course aims to:
■ Provide students with an opportunity to examine the histories, repertoires and styles of jazz music
■ engender an awareness of jazz ethics and performance practice
■ develop students' ability to perform and improvise in a jazz style
■ introduce students to jazz composition and arrangement
■ allow students to work together in a group performance setting
Intended Learning Outcomes of Course
By the end of this course students will be able to:
■ Discern the primary aspects of jazz history, repertoire and style;
■ understand how jazz is typically performed, including a sense of jazz ethics;
■ collaborate in jazz performance, including improvising modally in a jazz style according to their performance abilities;
■ apply practical approaches to making jazz music, i.e. performance or arrangement/composition;
■ compose an original piece of jazz music, or arrange an established piece, for jazz ensemble.
Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits
Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.