JAZZ ARRANGING
Survey of standard musical techniques and devices for arranging lead-sheet-based jazz compositions for medium and large jazz ensemble through score study, musical exercises, and arranging projects for live ensembles. Topics include jazz counterpoint and melody writing; preparing arrangements through outlines and condensed scores; chord substitutions and reharmonization; ranges, timbres, notational and technical considerations of standard jazz instruments; motivic development; voicing techniques, including mechanical, spreads, upper structure triads, and voicings in 4ths, 5ths and clusters; and orchestration techniques, including couplings and concerted writing.
Topics
- jazz counterpoint and melody writing
- preparing arrangements through outlines and condensed scores
- chord substitutions and reharmonization
- ranges
- timbres
- notational and technical considerations of standard jazz instruments
- motivic development
- voicing techniques
- including mechanical
- spreads
- upper structure triads
- and voicings in 4ths, 5ths and clusters
- and orchestration techniques
- including couplings and concerted writing
Topics explicitly listed in official catalogue description
Prerequisites & course information
Requisites: Declared in Music: MA, Music: Performance DMA, or Music: Performance MM Course Designation: Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement Repeatable for Credit: No Learning Outcomes: 1. Read, comprehend, and analyze scores for medium and large jazz ensemble Audience: Graduate 2. Compose for all common jazz instruments Audience: Graduate 3. Demonstrate sophisticated skill-level in composing contrapuntal melodies in a jazz idiom Audience: Graduate 4. Demonstrate mature ability to arrange for medium and large jazz ensemble using an advanced range of voicing and orchestration techniques Audience: Graduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Read, comprehend, and analyze scores for medium and large jazz ensemble Audience: Graduate 2. Compose for all common jazz instruments Audience: Graduate 3. Demonstrate sophisticated skill-level in composing contrapuntal melodies in a jazz idiom Audience: Graduate 4. Demonstrate mature ability to arrange for medium and large jazz ensemble using an advanced range of voicing and orchestration techniques Audience: Graduate
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027