Jazz Spontaneous Composition and Improvisation Minor

Course Requirements

The Jazz, Spontaneous Composition, and Improvisation minor focuses on the study of the history, theory, and performance of jazz and other improvised musics. In addition, students may be introduced to musical styles that have had profound influences on the uniquely American art form of jazz: folk and popular musics of Africa, Europe, South Asia and the United States and Western classical music. The Jazz, Spontaneous Composition, and Improvisation minor is limited to students who have sufficient performance proficiency to pass auditions for entry into the jazz ensembles.

Lower-Division Courses

While MUSC 14: Beginning Western Theory and Musicianship is the recommended starting place for students with only some prior music theory experience, students may test out of MUSC 14 by placing directly into MUSC 30A: Theory, Literature and Musicianship via the Music Theory Placement Exam. The Theory Placement Exam is offered twice per year—in fall quarter, the Tuesday before classes start; and in the beginning of either winter or spring quarter. See the Music Department website for exam details. If a student places into MUSC 30A via the exam, they are not required to take MUSC 14.

MUSC 11B	Introduction to Jazz	5
MUSC 14	Beginning Western Theory and Musicianship	5
MUSC 30A	Theory, Literature, and Musicianship I	5

The following course should be taken concurrently with the MUSC 30 sequence:

MUSC 31

Ear Training

Lower-division theory and improvisation

Take one of the following courses:

MUSC 74	Beginning Spontaneous Composition and Improvisation	5
MUSC 20C	Beginning Jazz Theory	5

Or

In place of MUSC 74 or MUSC 20C, students may elect to take two quarters of the following course (which may be repeated for credit):

MUSC 3

Large Jazz Ensemble

Upper-Division Courses

Upper-division theory and improvisation

Take one of the following courses.

MUSC 150J	Intermediate Spontaneous Composition and Improvisation	5
MUSC 150K	Intermediate Jazz Theory	5

Upper-division elective requirements

Take two of the following courses. MUSC 203H may be repeated for credit if taken with a different instructor.

Students may not double count MUSC 150J (formerly MUSC 174) or MUSC 150K (formerly MUSC 175) for their upper-division theory/improv AND elective requirements. However, students who chose MUSC 150J for their upper-division theory/improv requirement can take MUSC 150K as one of their electives, and vice versa.

DANM 250I	Interdisciplinary Arts Production Lab	5
MUSC 101C	Western Music History (1910-present)	5
MUSC 105A	Music of the United States	5
MUSC 105C	Folk and Traditional Music in California	5
MUSC 105H /DANM 205H /MUSC 81A/MUSC 81H	Hip Hop Music and Culture in the 20th Century	5
MUSC 105I	Improvisation and Collaborative Practices in the 20th Century	5
MUSC 105V	Mexican Music and Conviviality	5
MUSC 121A	Jazz Analysis	5
MUSC 150D	Theory of Southeast Asia	5
MUSC 150I	Hindustani Music Theory	5
MUSC 150J	Intermediate Spontaneous Composition and Improvisation	5
MUSC 150K	Intermediate Jazz Theory	5
MUSC 150P	20th-Century Popular Song	5
MUSC 150S	Focus on Spontaneous Composition	5
MUSC 203B	Performance Practice in the Renaissance	5
MUSC 203F	Performance Practice in the 20th Century	5
MUSC 203H	Area Studies in Performance Practice	5

Jazz Ensembles

Students in the Jazz, Spontaneous Composition, and Improvisation minor are required to take six quarters of ensembles, at least three quarters of which must be jazz-focused ensembles (MUSC 3 or MUSC 164). Both MUSC 3 and MUSC 164 can be repeated for credit.

If a student elected to take two quarters of MUSC 3 instead of MUSC 74 or MUSC 20C, they are only required to do one additional quarter of a jazz ensemble, plus the three quarters of elective ensembles.

MUSC 3	Large Jazz Ensemble	2
MUSC 164	Jazz Combos	2

Elective Ensembles

In addition to the three quarters of a jazz-focused ensemble, students pursuing this minor must take three elective ensembles. Students may repeat any of the below ensembles for credit, except MUSC 5A, MUSC 8A, and MUSC 74.

MUSC 1C	University Concert Choir	2
MUSC 2	University Orchestra	2
MUSC 3	Large Jazz Ensemble	2
MUSC 5A	West Javanese Gamelan Ensemble: Beginning	2
MUSC 5B	West Javanese Gamelan Ensemble: Intermediate	2
MUSC 5C	West Javanese Gamelan Ensemble: Advanced	2
MUSC 8A	Beginning Balinese Gamelan	2
MUSC 8B	Advanced Balinese Gamelan	2
MUSC 9	Wind Ensemble	2
MUSC 10	Central Asian Ensemble	2
MUSC 12	Mariachi Ensemble	2
MUSC 12B	Mexican Folklorico Music and Dance	2
MUSC 53A	Beginning Ghanaian Ensemble	2
MUSC 54	North Indian Music Workshop	2
MUSC 55	Rhythms of North India	2
MUSC 55A	Intermediate Rhythms of North India	2
MUSC 74	Beginning Spontaneous Composition and Improvisation	5
MUSC 77	Raga Jazz: Application of Indian Music to Western Instruments	5
MUSC 102	University Orchestra	2
MUSC 103	University Concert Choir	2
MUSC 129	Live Electroacoustic Music Ensemble	2
MUSC 158	South African Music Ensemble	2
MUSC 163	Early Music Band	2
MUSC 164	Jazz Combos	2
MUSC 165	Chamber Music Workshop	2
MUSC 166	Chamber Singers	2
MUSC 168	Experimental Music Ensemble	2

Planner

The table below is for informational purposes and do not reflect all university, general education, and credit requirements. See Undergraduate Graduation Requirements for more information.

Two-Year Jazz Minor Plan

Fall

Winter

Spring

1st

MUSC 11B

MUSC 14*

MUSC 74 or 75

MUSC 174 or 175

MUSC 3 or 164

2nd

MUSC 30A/MUSC 31

MUSC 105C^

MUSC 121A^

Elective ensemble

* May be satisfied by placing directly into MUSC 30A via the Theory Placement Exam

^Satisfies upper-division elective requirement; can be replaced with other courses from this list (see above).

General Education (GE) Codes

MUSC 11B satisfies the ER GE code.

Most, but not all, ensembles satisfy the PR-C or PR-E code GE requirement. Students should check to confirm which courses from the ensembles course list satisfy GE codes.