Ensemble Courses
Ensemble courses are designed to give IM students an opportunity to play with each other and hone their musical skills in a group setting. Students are placed in level-appropriate ensembles through a placement audition at the beginning of the school year.
MS Count Basie Jazz Combo / Duke Ellington Jazz Combo
Students will gain the fundamental skills required to play and perform in a small group setting. These courses provide basic instruction in jazz-related rhythm, tone, style, concept, and improvisation. The basics of how to play in a jazz ensemble will be covered including how to play by ear, how to read a lead sheet, how to communicate on the bandstand, and how to improvise. We will explore multiple styles of basic Jazz literature including Swing, Blues, Ballads, Jazz Rock, & Latin Jazz.
MS Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Combo / Dizzy Gillespie Jazz Combo
Students will further their knowledge of how to rehearse improvise and perform in a small group setting. These courses provide an intermediate Middle School level of instruction in musical the language of Jazz: rhythm, tone, style, concept, listening skills, and improvisation. Listening, reading lead sheets and chord symbols, communication, intros, endings, and improvisation will be covered, as well as how to present oneself to an audience. We will explore multiple styles of basic Jazz literature including Swing, Blues, Ballads, Rhythm Changes, & Latin Jazz.
MS OSA Jazz Ensemble
Students will play and perform in a big band setting. This course provides instruction in jazz-related rhythm, tone, style,concept, listening skills, and improvisation. We will explore multiple styles of basic Jazz literature including Swing, Blues, Ballads, Jazz Rock, & Latin Jazz.
MS Chamber Classes
These classes consists of mixed-instrument groups designed to further develop skills in rehearsing and performing classical repertoire. Abilities gained from an chamber group include, but are not limited to, phrasing as a unit, contributing to the group as a leader, and assessing one’s own playing as well as others in a professional and respectful manor. Every student is expected to learn four works, representative of their level, during each semester and participate in chamber recitals.
MS Chamber Orchestra
The OSA Middle School Chamber Orchestra is open to all students who play standard orchestral instruments (violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute/piccolo, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, and percussion). Literature rehearsed and performed consists primarily of intermediate music from the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic eras. This large ensemble is designed to provide students with experience in an orchestral setting, to develop an understanding of other instruments, to establish instrumental roles as they apply to a group, and to learn a broad range of styles. Each rehearsal aims to prepare for concerts and will focus on balance and shaping musical ideas, intonation, and classical techniques.
HS Miles Davis Jazz Combo
This HS small ensemble is open to instrumental students with some facility on their instrument. Listening, reading lead sheets and chord symbols, communication, intros, endings, and improvisation will be covered, as well as how to present oneself to an audience. Repertoire from the jazz idiom will be played and used to further creativity and inspiration in a welcoming, fun environment. The group will perform throughout the school year.
HS Mary Lue Williams Jazz Combo
In this Jazz Combo, students will work to improve their understanding, and performance ability, in various styles of small group jazz literature. We will rehearse and perform material with an emphasis on continued growth as creative improvisers. This course provides intermediate High School level instruction in the musical understanding of Jazz through material and appreciation for Jazz history.
HS John Coltrane Jazz Combo
This high level Jazz Combo is for instrumentalists with an exceptional level of facility on their instrument, sight-reading ability, and improvisational skill. Students will rehearse and perform a collection of advanced Jazz literature. We will explore the relevant canon of small group/Jazz combo history from Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, Art Blakey, Horace Silver, as well as contemporary work from groups such as M-Base collective. We will also explore the social impact that Jazz music, and jazz musicians have had on American and world culture. This course is intended to provide a foundation that will serve students well beyond their high school years. We will perform at in school concerts, as well as competitions and extra curricular events. Student compositions are encouraged.
HS-OSA Jazz Ensemble (placement audition)
The OSA Jazz Ensemble is a Jazz Big Band with an emphasis of instruction on historical and contemporary jazz literature, improvisation, rehearsal and performance technique. Students will perform in several concerts throughout the school year. The Ensemble is open to students with an intermediate to advanced level of facility and sight reading ability on their instrument. HS Chamber Classes The High School Chamber Classes consists of autonomous mixed instrument groupings. Every student is expected to be a leader on their instrument, to understand their own role within an ensemble as well as the roles or other instrumentalists, and, most importantly, to support their peers through effective communication. Students at this level must have prior classical chamber experience. Every student is expected to learn four works, representative of their level, during each semester and participate in chamber recitals.
HS Chamber Orchestra (open)
The OSA High School Chamber Orchestra is open to all students who play standard orchestral instruments (violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, and percussion). Literature rehearsed and performed consists primarily of advanced music from the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic eras. This large ensemble is designed to further student’s experience in an orchestral setting. Each rehearsal aims to prepare for concerts and will focus on balance and shaping musical ideas, intonation, and classical techniques.
Students will gain the fundamental skills required to play and perform in a small group setting. These courses provide basic instruction in jazz-related rhythm, tone, style, concept, and improvisation. The basics of how to play in a jazz ensemble will be covered including how to play by ear, how to read a lead sheet, how to communicate on the bandstand, and how to improvise. We will explore multiple styles of basic Jazz literature including Swing, Blues, Ballads, Jazz Rock, & Latin Jazz.
MS Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Combo / Dizzy Gillespie Jazz Combo
Students will further their knowledge of how to rehearse improvise and perform in a small group setting. These courses provide an intermediate Middle School level of instruction in musical the language of Jazz: rhythm, tone, style, concept, listening skills, and improvisation. Listening, reading lead sheets and chord symbols, communication, intros, endings, and improvisation will be covered, as well as how to present oneself to an audience. We will explore multiple styles of basic Jazz literature including Swing, Blues, Ballads, Rhythm Changes, & Latin Jazz.
MS OSA Jazz Ensemble
Students will play and perform in a big band setting. This course provides instruction in jazz-related rhythm, tone, style,concept, listening skills, and improvisation. We will explore multiple styles of basic Jazz literature including Swing, Blues, Ballads, Jazz Rock, & Latin Jazz.
MS Chamber Classes
These classes consists of mixed-instrument groups designed to further develop skills in rehearsing and performing classical repertoire. Abilities gained from an chamber group include, but are not limited to, phrasing as a unit, contributing to the group as a leader, and assessing one’s own playing as well as others in a professional and respectful manor. Every student is expected to learn four works, representative of their level, during each semester and participate in chamber recitals.
MS Chamber Orchestra
The OSA Middle School Chamber Orchestra is open to all students who play standard orchestral instruments (violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute/piccolo, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, and percussion). Literature rehearsed and performed consists primarily of intermediate music from the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic eras. This large ensemble is designed to provide students with experience in an orchestral setting, to develop an understanding of other instruments, to establish instrumental roles as they apply to a group, and to learn a broad range of styles. Each rehearsal aims to prepare for concerts and will focus on balance and shaping musical ideas, intonation, and classical techniques.
HS Miles Davis Jazz Combo
This HS small ensemble is open to instrumental students with some facility on their instrument. Listening, reading lead sheets and chord symbols, communication, intros, endings, and improvisation will be covered, as well as how to present oneself to an audience. Repertoire from the jazz idiom will be played and used to further creativity and inspiration in a welcoming, fun environment. The group will perform throughout the school year.
HS Mary Lue Williams Jazz Combo
In this Jazz Combo, students will work to improve their understanding, and performance ability, in various styles of small group jazz literature. We will rehearse and perform material with an emphasis on continued growth as creative improvisers. This course provides intermediate High School level instruction in the musical understanding of Jazz through material and appreciation for Jazz history.
HS John Coltrane Jazz Combo
This high level Jazz Combo is for instrumentalists with an exceptional level of facility on their instrument, sight-reading ability, and improvisational skill. Students will rehearse and perform a collection of advanced Jazz literature. We will explore the relevant canon of small group/Jazz combo history from Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, Art Blakey, Horace Silver, as well as contemporary work from groups such as M-Base collective. We will also explore the social impact that Jazz music, and jazz musicians have had on American and world culture. This course is intended to provide a foundation that will serve students well beyond their high school years. We will perform at in school concerts, as well as competitions and extra curricular events. Student compositions are encouraged.
HS-OSA Jazz Ensemble (placement audition)
The OSA Jazz Ensemble is a Jazz Big Band with an emphasis of instruction on historical and contemporary jazz literature, improvisation, rehearsal and performance technique. Students will perform in several concerts throughout the school year. The Ensemble is open to students with an intermediate to advanced level of facility and sight reading ability on their instrument. HS Chamber Classes The High School Chamber Classes consists of autonomous mixed instrument groupings. Every student is expected to be a leader on their instrument, to understand their own role within an ensemble as well as the roles or other instrumentalists, and, most importantly, to support their peers through effective communication. Students at this level must have prior classical chamber experience. Every student is expected to learn four works, representative of their level, during each semester and participate in chamber recitals.
HS Chamber Orchestra (open)
The OSA High School Chamber Orchestra is open to all students who play standard orchestral instruments (violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, and percussion). Literature rehearsed and performed consists primarily of advanced music from the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic eras. This large ensemble is designed to further student’s experience in an orchestral setting. Each rehearsal aims to prepare for concerts and will focus on balance and shaping musical ideas, intonation, and classical techniques.
