Jazz Studies and Piano Composition
Course Credits: 15
Course Curriculum Used:
Elements of Jazz from Cakewalks to Fusion
Lectures by Bill Messenger
The Peabody Institute of Music
M.A., Johns Hopkins University
Private Piano Composition Lessons by Dan Knight
Course Description
The lectures are an overview of jazz, its elements, and the times that spawned it. Professor Messenger frequently turns to his piano to illustrate his musical points, often with the help of guest performance artists and lots of original music. These lectures follow the story of jazz in its many shapes, including:- Ragtime
- The blues
- The swing music of the big band era
- Boogie-Woogie
- Big Band Blues
- The rise of modern jazz forms including bebop, cool, modal, free, and fusion jazz.
The lectures provide a back drop for private lessons by Dan Knight in Jazz Piano Composition
Lecture Titles
| 1. | Plantation Beginnings |
| 2. | The Rise and Fall of Ragtime |
| 3. | The Jazz Age |
| 4. | Blues |
| 5. | The Swing Era |
| 6. | Boogie, Big Band Blues, and Bop |
| 7. | Modern Jazz |
| 8. | The ABC's of Jazz Improvisation |