LEVEL 4- ADVANCED

• Continual development in jazz improvisation
• Continued development in piano technique and reading skills (if necessary)
• Continual development in melodic and harmonic skills through theory and practice
• Discussion of potential future with jazz and "gigging" strategies
• Continual development in ear training and listening skills
• Continued building of jazz repertoire
• Exploring composition and arranging

Piano Technique:

• Using Card Exercises and metronome, covering Major and Minor ii-V-I progressions, diatonic ii-V-Is, Altered ii-V-Is, Half-diminished ii-Vs
• Use of tri-tone and chromaticism
• Memorization of transcribed solos

Jazz Improvisation:

• Playing and Study of different "modern" and niche concepts. i.e. Coltrane changes, playing "out", authentic latin and african rhythms
• Development of student's "sound" and consolidation of musical direction to achieve it
• Understanding and improvising over odd time signatures
• Polyrhythms

Jazz Theory:

• Exploration of intermediate and advanced chord reharmonization
• Suspended harmony (7sus, 7sus(b9), 7sus(#4))

Comping:

• Adding passing harmony to chord progressions
• Rhythmic superimposition and (2 over 3) polyrhythms

Repertoire:

• Establishment of essential 50 standards/jazz standards

Ear Training:

• Continued transcribing into longer, more difficult solos to improve ears

Work Strategies:

• Development of professionalism and building "brand"

Composition:

• Exploring aptitude and desire for composing and/or arranging jazz music