Jazz Requirements

At the end of each semester, all Peabody Jazz Studies majors are required to take a jazz jury or recital. For juries, students will perform at least 12 minutes of music. All selections must be performed from memory and must include one transcription and at least two standards of contrasting styles drawn from the repertoire list. The examiners must approve advancement in level. A decision not to promote must be supported by appropriate jury and studio grades.

First Year

Fall Jury

Two Level I tunes, selected by faculty from your repertoire list including at least three Level I tunes, Sight Reading I (a), seven modes of the major scale, jazz melodic minor, harmonic minor, and chromatic scales.

Spring Jury

Two Level I tunes, selected by faculty from your repertoire list including at least three Level I tunes, Sight Reading I (b), seven modes of the major scale, seven modes of the jazz melodic minor, seven modes of the harmonic minor, and chromatic scales.

Second Year

Fall Jury

Two Level II tunes, selected by faculty from your repertoire list including at least five memorized Level II tunes, Sight Reading II (a), diminished, inverted-diminished, whole-tone, major and minor blues, augmented, major and minor pentatonic scales.

Spring Jury

Two Level II tunes, selected by faculty from your repertoire list including at least five memorized Level II tunes, Sight Reading II (b), diminished, inverted-diminished, whole-tone, major and minor blues, augmented, major and minor pentatonic scales.

Third Year

Fall Jury

Two Level III tunes and one tune in twelve keys selected by faculty from your repertoire list including at least seven memorized Level III tunes, Sight Reading III.

Spring - Junior Recital

The jazz recital (half recital) should reflect all aspects of the student's development, such as improvisation, composition and arranging skills, ensemble playing, leadership, programming, instrumental ability, versatility, (stylistic and instrumental), and the ability to select and organize side personnel. Passing grade on junior recital is prerequisite for study at the senior level.

Fourth Year

Fall Jury

Two Level IV tunes and one tune in twelve keys selected by the faculty from your repertoire list including at least nine memorized Level IV tunes, Sight Reading IV.

Spring - Senior Recital

The jazz recital (full recital) should reflect all aspects of the student's development, such as improvisation, composition and arranging skills, ensemble playing, leadership, programming, instrumental ability, versatility, (stylistic and instrumental), and the ability to select and organize side personnel.

Other Performance Requirements

Guitar

• Demonstrate proficiency at comping in various styles.
• Perform a chord/melody arrangement of a tune from the standard repertoire.

Piano

• Demonstrate proficiency at comping in various styles.
• Perform a re-harmonized arrangement of a tune from the standard repertoire.

Drum Set

• Demonstrate knowledge of percussion rudiments.
• Examples of the following drum styles (with a rhythm section) at various tempi; bebop, contemporary mainstream (using both sticks and brushes), jazz waltz, bossa nova, samba, salsa or Afro-Cuban, fusion, funk, jazz/rock, ballads (brushes and sticks), R & B, shuffle, rock and pop.
• Solos of all lengths (4s, 8s, 12s, chorus) demonstrating improvisational fluency and knowledge of song form (all tempos and meters).