October 19, 2014

Jazz Pedagogy - MUS 743

Chloe Plamondon

Video Lesson #1
Backgroud
This is a portion of a lesson with my Grade 9 Beginner Jazz Band. Youll notice that
there is no rhythm section in this class. My colleague helps me at the beginning of the
year with this band by teaching the rhythm section members in another music classroom.
An older student, Bobby, is just learning to play drums this year and is a band room
lurker and I like to put those types of kids to work when theyre just hangin out
youll hear him on the video.
A few times throughout the video youll hear the band interrupted by another jazz band
that is the intermediate jazz band in the room next door to ours, the third music teacher
teaches them in the jazz room at the same time.
I become slightly distracted about part way through the class for about 4 minutes when
one of the rhythms section kids came looking for music. Every class I recorded had some
type of distraction, so I decided to keep it there and still submit this lesson. Distraction
unfortunately, is a part of teaching especially when teaching 1 of 3 classes happening at
lunchtime. Poor Sean the lead trumpet kid I wonder if hell ever come back.
Suggestions on how to deal with this type of distraction would be greatly appreciated!
Sometimes Ill pause the class and have them work on their own for a few minutes, but in
this case I just continue to have them play.
(Disclaimer I dont always ask kids to blast or play loud but I have been in this
class because my trumpet players are quite timid and shy Ill do/say whatever I can
right to get them to use air and play out.)
The video begins about 10 minutes into the lesson. We started with watching a video of
Benny Goodman and his orchestra. Here is a link to the video:
I start snapping on 2 & 4 @ the front of the class at 12:05 sharp to a) start class and b) get
students used to playing with a swing feel.
After snapping and watching for a few minutes, and me explaining that I was going to
record our class for my assignment we moved straight into our jazz books, Essential
Elements for Beginning Jazz Ensemble b. Mike Steinel, and started singing some
jazzy syllables together. (this is where I remember to press start on my iphone to record
and you can watch the rest!)
Lesson Plan
Class Objectives
1. Reinforce proper jazz articulation through singing syllables
2. Establish proper balance in the wind section through listening to lead players.
3. Encourage all students in the wind section to attempt a short solo, and celebrate
their risk-taking ventures

Sequence- 12:05 12:40

12:05 Watch Benny Goodman video
12:07 Snap 2/4s
12:10 Method Book, Swing Rhythm Workouts
Sing, and then play
Listen to lead trumpet for articulation and style example
Blend lead trumpet, trombone, alto sax
12:15 London Bridge Improvisation
Review: What is improvisation?
Repeat London Bridge as many times as it takes for every student to attempt a
solo.
Students play notes that are given on the page, improvising rhythms (and/or notes
if they chose) with the goal of following the form and playing with good
articulations.
Celebrate each the risk taking of all students in the band!! (this is only our 2nd
time talking about improvising and lots were scared to play last time, hopefully we
loosen up a bit today)
12:35 Dynamo
Play through a chart that we know to leave class feeling happy and pumped to
come back next time! (there will be lots of gaps in this tune without the rhythm
section here today, the plan is to have them join us next week to put this song
together for the first time!)