The Music Course

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The core of this course is improvisation based music within African American musical traditions. You should have good prerequisites and preferably have experience of playing in a group. At the Music Course, you have the opportunity of gaining depth and breadth in your knowledge of jazz and other improvisation based music during your two years of study. Apart from playing in different ensemble situations, there are options of studying composition, arrangement, and recording in a studio. Many of the projects are concluded with an account of what has been studied in the form of public concerts. Planning and implementing tours is also a part of the course.

We have a recording studio that you can use for your private recordings. We have five fully equipped ensemble rooms of which three have grand pianos.

The Music Course

Improvisation

In the subject of improvisation the teaching method employed is ensemble jams with an emphasis on the improvisational part. We work with free improvisations, blues, jazz standards, bebop as well as more modern original compositions.

Project Performances

The students get an opportunity to work together and organize a musical project of their own. The projects are spread out over 5-week periods and after each has been finalized, the group constellations are switched around.

The project is concluded with a concert.

Instrumental Development

You will receive individual tuition in your main instrument.

Ear Training

This tuition is obligatory in the first year and is available as an option in the second year.
Training in chord identification, rhythm/melodic dictation, scales and intervals.

Courses Where You Can Choose Your Specialization

You are given the option to select shorter courses in various subjects.
Theoretical subjects such as music theory, arrangement, big band arrangement, jazz composition, improvisation theory or further study of ear training.

Amongst the more practical subjects there is metric modulation, ensemble playing with focus on odd time signatures, practical ear training as well as ensembles with a specialization on a particular musician or composer. Music philosophy course as a forum to ventilate thoughts and share reflections on music.

There is an opportunity of certain tuition in bi-piano if you do not have piano as your main instrument.

Metric Structure

The subject encompasses a thorough review of frequently occurring rhythms within jazz and modern improvisational music along with a deeper study of polyrhythm and odd time signatures.

Big Band

The big band rehearses and sometimes does concerts and recordings.
There is also an option of trying out your own arrangements.

Recording Technique

The school has a studio of its own where you can make your own recordings.
You will receive tuition in recording technique, mixing. You will have access to the studio round the clock.

The Music Course puts together a CD each academic year.

Vocal Ensemble

If vocals are your main instrument there is a vocal ensemble where you will get to practice choral singing, theatrical performance, vocal maintenance and vocal improvisation.

Guest Instructors

We recieve visits from both Swedish and foreign guests that host workshops. The school is a member of IASJ (International Schools of Jazz), that annually organizes exchanges for students and guest lecturers. Each year we send a student representative to the meeting.

As guests, we have had Steve Swallow, David Liebman Jerry Bergonzi, Marc Ducret, Django Bates, Richard Beirach, Lee Konitz, Gary Thomas, Michael Formanek, Vincent Herring, Joey Calderazzo, Jonas Knutsson, Joakim Milder, Bobo Stenson, Lars Jansson, Lindha Kallerdahl, Fredrik Ljungqvist, Mattias Windemo, Lena Willemark, Gösta Rundqvist, Raymond Stridh, Lina Nyberg, Peter Danemo and many others.

Concerts, Tour

During the academic year we work on a variety of concert projects.
Many of these occur in collaboration with the school's other culture courses, such as quire week and school concerts.

The year is concluded with a Sweden tour.

Project Weeks

During the year we have a number of project weeks instead of regular tuition.
This type of week could for example involve the recording of a CD, quire week or playing in a trio.

Evening Cafés

The different courses' students organize café nights every week.