TeachingImprovisationintheOrchestraCurtisWinters,OremJrHighckwinters@alpinedistrict.org

Whyteachimprovisation?

• Personalexpression• Spontaneouscomposition• Practicalmusictheory• Ampupyourconcerts• Enrichmentforadvancedstudents

Howtogetstarted?

• Useadrumbeatorbackuptrack• Call&Response-“Iplay,thenyouplayitback”• Startwith1noteandGRADUALLYincreasethenumberofnotes• A-MinorPentatonic:A-C-D-E-G-A(startingonG-string,orA-stringforbasses)• Yes,theteachermustleadtheCall&Response• Compare“improvisation”to“talkingwithfriends”

Next-stepoptions:

• Practiceandmemorizepatternstodevelop“musclememory”• GroupImprovPatterns• “Trade2’s”-peopletaketurnsimprovising2measuresatatime• Songsandplay-alongtracksfrommethodbooks• Repertoirewithimprovisation“solosections”

Concertoptions:

• Addrepeatmarkingsandinsertasoloinarock/fiddlepiece• ChangebackuppartstoPizz.sosoloistscanbeheard• Useelectricinstruments• Turnanyinstrumentintoan“electric”onewithatunerpickup• Performasongwitha“solosection”

Importantscaletypes:

• MinorPentatonic:D-F-G-A-C-D• Major:D-E-F#-G-A-B-C#-D• Mixolydian:D-E-F#-G-A-B-C-D• BluesScale:D-F-G-G#-A-C-D• NaturalMinor:D-E-F-G-A-Bb-C-D• HarmonicMinor:D-E-F-G-A-Bb-C#-D

UsefulMethodBooks:BasicFiddlersPhilharmonic-Simple&Adv.Tunes,BackupPartJazzPhilharmonic-Tune,2BackupParts,Prep.Exerc.,SampleSolosJazzBasicsforStrings-FullArrangements,PreparatoryExercisesFiddlersPhilharmonic-Adv.Tunes,2BackupPartsMarkWoodMethod(Advanced)-Adv.Excerc.,HeadCharts,SampleSolos

Repertoire:(Ifoundthesepiecesbysearchingjwpepper.com,usingthekeywords“stringorchestraimprovise”,andthenclickingonthe“Easy”filterintheleftsidebar.)RockStyleArizonaSun,MarkWood-AMajorStringThang,MarkWood-EMinorPentatonicorEBluesHuntersofAvatar,MarkWood-EMinorPentatonicPepperoniPizzaRock,BrianBalmages(VeryEasy)-EMinorPentatonicBalladStyleBlueSkiesandBrightStars,MattTurner-CMajorPrarieWaltz,MattTurner-CMajororCPentatonicStarLake,MattTurner-DMajorFiddleStyleFiddleSomethin’,LarryClark-D7(DMixolydian)JapaneseHoedown,KeikoYamada-DPentatonicorD7(DMixolydian)SwingStyleShuffleupagus,MattTurner-GMinorPentatonicorGBluesOtherStylesSpyVsSpy,MattTurner(Tango)-BHarmonicMinorCalypso,MartinNorgaard(Calypso)-GMajor

EducationalObjectives:

• Improvisingwith1scale(easy)• Improvisingwithseveralscaletypes(medium)• Improvisingovermultiplechords(long,challengingroad)• Oneimprovsongperyear(easy)• Oneimprovsongineachconcert(medium)

FreeStuffatwww.stepwisepublications.com/free-stuff.html

• AshaMevlanaA-MinorPentatonicbackuptrack• Call&responsepatterns• Groupimprovpatterns• Fullsong,“FracturedElements”,featuringA-MinorPentatonicsolosection