Adult Class Description
September-December • January-May
Adults dust off your instruments and vocal chords!
Have some fun playing music with new friends!
Join the AJW Adult Jazz Combo Improvisation Classes…
For Begining-Intermediate-Advanced Level Instrumentalists & Vocalists
Weekly from 7-9 p.m. September-May
Instructors: John Damberg & Nick Petumenos, both Alaska Jazz Master Artists
This course is for adult instrumentalists and vocalists of all types at the beginning-intermediate-advanced levels who enjoy playing fun, exciting music in a small band setting of 4-8 members. The class will focus on developing song repertoire in a wide variety of styles including: Jazz, Blues, Latin, Funk, & Pop. Students will have extensive hands on opportunities to develop their creative music skills and inner expressive musical vocabulary through improvisation and music theory skill building exercises. They will also build new song repertoire and group teaming skills by rehearsing and performing as a band. Weekly assignments will be given to promote learning new vocabulary, song repertoire, and developing improvisation skills.
- Students should plan to attend all sessions. Students will pay for all class sessions at the time of registration or agree on the monthly payment plan. Thee will be no refunds for missed classes. Please call or tell me at least 24 hours in advance when you will be absent.
- Students agree to work to fulfill all the class requirements, goals, practice their music and do the homework assignments.
- Come to class prepared with your music, notebook, pencil and instrument.
- Learn all assigned songs in the band repertoire list. I welcome your input regarding songs you want to learn.
Call John Damberg for more information and to schedule your level placement audition at 907-332-3234.
Students must be able to read music at a beginning to intermediate level, know the notes on their instruments, play at least 6 of the major scales, want to learn how to improvise, and be able to attend the majority of the class sessions.
Students should also enjoy playing music in group settings. This is a fun group that likes to rehearse on a regular basis, expand their musical horizons, and perform at least 2 times per semester.
AJW Adult Jazz Class
Entrance and Level Placement Auditions:
New adult students must schedule a level placement audition with John Damberg.
Auditions last ½ hour.
Students will be asked to do the following:
- All Students should be prepared to perform one prepared piece of music that demonstrates their current playing level
- Play any major and blues scales they may know,
- Sight-read music
- Improvise on a song that demonstrates their playing ability from a simple 12 bar blues song to a more complex 32 bar standard song form.
- Students will be asked music theory questions to determine their knowledge level.
Please contact John Damberg to set up auditions at: (907) 332-3234.