Complementary jazz piano

To enable non-pianist students to develop an effective approach to the instrument: harmony, voicings, keyboard management, technical exercises, grid reading, theme reading, knowledge of a classical and contemporary piano repertoire (adapted to each student's level).

This course also gives non-pianists the opportunity to use the piano as a complementary harmonic and orchestral instrument in their composition/arrangement work, as well as for improvisation.

• Learning jazz voicings, from the simplest to the most extensive. These voicings are to be transposed in all keys.
• Extension to II/ V/ I sequences and substitutions.
• Excerpts from standards (4/8 bars) to be transposed in all keys ("recreational" approach to learning harmony and keyboard management).
• For the right hand, technical work on fingers and phrasing based on themes by Charlie Parker or Bud Powell.
• Performance of standards in three forms: simple approach version, enriched version (^9th, ^13th, 11th chords^, sus 4, internal voices, substitutions), version with left-hand voicings without bass (The choice of repertoire may include more contemporary compositions).
• Work on the different forms of Blues and Anatole (I got rhythm).
• Work on accompanying soloists.
• Classical scores of low or medium difficulty (Bach, Satie, Debussy, Bartok etc), work on reading, sound and MD/MG independence. Linear, polyphonic and horizontal approach to the instrument. Work on interpretation.
• Ear training. For example, exercise: sing the melodic line with the right hand while playing a second line with the left hand.
• Memorization games (intervals, chord colours).
• Improvisation work on jazz standards, as well as other material (classical music, folk songs, etc.).

Year² exam: Play a standard or theme from the Be-bop repertoire and a classical piece of low difficulty.

Year³ exam: Play a standard or a theme from the Be-bop repertoire accompanied by a rhythm section (bass/drums), a classical piece of moderate difficulty, a deciphering (15-minute dressing room before the exam), a piece of the student's choice (all styles) in agreement with the teacher.

The pieces will be announced 6 weeks before the exam (except for the deciphering).

3 years