Repertoire and oral tradition

1st year

- Each student must be familiar with the themes and harmonic framework of the pieces chosen, know their particular characteristics and demonstrate his or her ability to improvise on harmonies and form.

- Students should also know the texts of the most famous songs in the repertoire, as well as the historical background to their creation and their composers.

- Transcriptions of famous interpretations and improvisations by soloists who have left their mark on the history of jazz are also studied and played.

2nd and 3rd year

• Master a repertoire of 30 compositions from the jazz repertoire (15 for L2 and 15 for L3),
• Have the tools to understand and learn a piece and prepare for a performance in an effective and professional manner,
• Develop an overall knowledge of the historical jazz repertoire and its musical language. Students should be familiar with the texts of the most famous songs in the repertoire as well as the historical background to their creation and their composers.
• Assimilate a methodology adapted to the discipline: research strategies, memory work, transposition exercises, arrangement and re-harmonisation, preparation for a performance,
• Exploring the relationship between composition and improvisation: developing an approach to improvisation based on the characteristics of the piece being worked on (theme/variations, melodic development),
• Making the link between creation and repertoire: writing solos, arrangements, composing pieces from models.

1st year:

Examination: performance before a jury of one or two standards chosen by the jury from a list drawn up by the teacher.

2nd and 3rd year:

Two control exams (December, March): a performance and a written assignment, designed to assess 5 pieces and a particular problem.

A final exam (May) before a jury: the student must play a piece chosen by the jury from a list of 15 pieces, plus 1 additional piece suggested by the teacher three weeks beforehand.

Rewards

• One mark out of 20 for the control exams
• One mark out of 20 for the final exam
• The average of the two marks gives the final grade

2nd Year: Mention Très Bien, Bien or Assez Bien

3rd Year: Certificate with distinction Very Good, Good or Quite Good

3 years