Using Jazz Pedagogy to Supplement the Undergraduate Classical Lesson Setting

The goal of this treatise is to examine elements of jazz pedagogy that can be applied to improve musicianship in the undergraduate classical lesson setting. I have identified areas of classical pedagogy that would benefit most from these elements and have corroborated them with information from respected classical pedagogues. These concepts are addressed by examining both the classical and jazz pedagogical traditions and determining which approaches from the jazz methodology are conducive to supplementing the undergraduate classical lesson experience. I have provided suggestions for adapting and implementing these methods, with examples of supplemental exercises that may be incorporated by classical teachers included at the end of each section. The aspects of pedagogy that were chosen for this research were aural skills, harmonic awareness and application, and improvisation. More specific topics relevant to each to each of these are discussed within each chapter. All of the above are areas in which jazz musicians typically excel, so I studied their pedagogical methods to see what could be applied to the classical lesson structure for undergraduates. I conducted the research for this project primarily through interviews with pedagogues and performers of each style. Further evidence was gathered through lesson observations and examination of syllabi, articles, dissertations, and books.