LEVEL 1- BEGINNER

• Gain an appreciation for jazz and for its pianists of relevance
• Understand the harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic role of the piano in the jazz combo
• Develop basic piano technique and reading skills (if needed)
• Understand and perform basic jazz improvisation
• Ear training

Piano Technique (if needed):

• Correct hand placement, posture, and approach to playing piano
• Card Exercises (CE) and metronome, learning major scales
• Through CE, learning major triads- all inversions, closest position
• Use of Hanon exercises to increase finger dexterity and strength

Jazz Appreciation:

• Through aural and visual means, understanding the 19th/20th c. timeline of jazz styles and pianists.

Ear Training:

• Through CE, learning of intervals and melody fragments to improve ear recognition

Reading Skills:

• Using appropriate level John Thompson Book to increase note and sight reading skills

Jazz Improvisation:

• Definitions of jazz terminology explained
• Breaking down of jazz performances to understand form, structure (large picture conceptions)
• Using CE and metronome to learn major and minor pentatonic scales and their initial applications

• (6) 3x5" Index Cards- cut in the middle (broadside)
• Spiral-bound notebook
• Manuscript paper
• Real Book Vol. I, 6th edition (Hal Leonard)- book version

Optional

• Portable recorder
• The Jazz Piano Book (Mark Levine)
• Spotify Application
• YouTube Application

Optional for reading and technique work:

• John Thompson Book 1
• Hannon Scale Exercise Book