This class will focus on broadening the participants' fluency with established improvisational languages, encouraging them to trust and develop their own unique improvisational voices, and deepening their capacities for integrating those individual voices into a collaborative musical framework -- working and playing together as a group, forging a collective identity, finding a band sound. In-class soloing and ensemble playing; guided listening; ear training; internalization; personalization; transcription, composition and arranging will all be emphasized. The coursework will be primarily based on actual instrumental performance and practice; with an extensive list of tracks to listen to and tunes to learn. The class will spend ample time focusing on the repertoire from the jazz "canon" (works by jazz masters such Ellington, Monk, Parker, Shorter, Mingus, Coltrane, Coleman, etc, as well as "standards" from the American popular songbook). Participants will be encouraged to submit for consideration by the group their own ideas for material, including, but not limited to, their own original compositions or arrangements. Limited enrollment: Audition required. Students auditioning for Music MUSIC 120E may submit the same audition material for consideration for Music MUSIC 120D and vice-versa, but they are asked to make clear that they are applying for both (or, alternatively, for just one of the two, and if so, which one.) All who are interested are strongly encouraged to apply, with the understanding that some priority may be given to those who have already completed Music MUSIC 120D. This class will be closed to enrollment, so students who would like to enroll must join the Axess wait list. You will then be contacted with audition instructions.
Satisfactory/No Credit
This class will focus on broadening the participants' fluency with established improvisational languages, encouraging them to trust and develop their own unique improvisational voices, and deepening their capacities for integrating those individual voices into a collaborative musical framework -- working and playing together as a group, forging a collective identity, finding a band sound. In-class soloing and ensemble playing; guided listening; ear training; internalization; personalization; transcription, composition and arranging will all be emphasized. The coursework will be primarily based on actual instrumental performance and practice; with an extensive list of tracks to listen to and tunes to learn. The class will spend ample time focusing on the repertoire from the jazz "canon" (works by jazz masters such Ellington, Monk, Parker, Shorter, Mingus, Coltrane, Coleman, etc, as well as "standards" from the American popular songbook). Participants will be encouraged to submit for consideration by the group their own ideas for material, including, but not limited to, their own original compositions or arrangements. Limited enrollment: Audition required. Students auditioning for Music 120E may submit the same audition material for consideration for Music 120D and vice-versa, but they are asked to make clear that they are applying for both (or, alternatively, for just one of the two, and if so, which one.) All who are interested are strongly encouraged to apply, with the understanding that some priority may be given to those who have already completed Music 120D. This class will be closed to enrollment, so students who would like to enroll must join the Axess wait list. You will then be contacted with audition instructions.
Offered in Winter 2026, Spring 2026 at Stanford University.