This is the text given to the teachers of The Sacramento Jazz Camp. Feel free to explore this article to get an idea of the camps various philosophies and how the day flows. Keep in mind that classes and schedules change slightly from year to year. Please check this page from time to time for updates.

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THEORY

The first class of the day is devoted to music theory. Please keep the presentation portion brief, and have the students practice what you are teaching them. (For example, if you present information about scales, have them play some.)

The purpose of presenting theory is so that the campers can learn how to improvise - both solos and ensembles - so please keep your theory classes appropriate to achieving that goal. It is much better to give them a small amount of information and let them practice it, than to give them too much information. Have the students play chords, scales, intervals, modes - whatever you are showing them. Demonstrate how you use this information when you improvise, and give them an opportunity to try it.

Keep it simple, and have the students play as much as possible. Make it about 20% theory, and 80% practice. DO NOT GIVE THEORY INSTRUCTION THAT IS NOT IMMEDIATELY PRACTICAL IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CAMP! Reinforce theory in band rehearsals.

MORNING REHEARSAL

The morning rehearsal session should be devoted to the needs of the instrumentalists; the vocalist will not be present until the afternoon. Work on issues of improvising/arranging ensemble parts, soloing and accompaniment, intros and endings, modulations (for interest, or to accommodate the vocalist), and all aspects of preparing the tunes for performance. Give the campers ample opportunity to address issues themselves, and offer advice when they need help. Rather than leading the band, coach them.

AFTERNOON REHEARSAL

Continue to reinforce theoretical concepts on which you are focusing, and allow the students to make as many musical decisions as they can. The primary difference between afternoon and morning rehearsals will be the presence of the vocalist in the afternoon. Be sure that you make good use of the vocalist’s time, and include the vocalist in the band’s decision making processes (band name, front person, suggestions for arrangements, etc.).

SEMI-PRIVATE LESSONS

During the semi-private lesson period, you will be meeting with two students at a time.

During the lesson, concentrate on instrumental technique and theory that will help the students do a good job of playing for their bands. What you choose to teach during this time is, of course, up to you, but it is prefered that you address issues that are of immediate importance, such as: playing the band tunes correctly, voicing chords, how to accompany, etc. The main goal for this part of the camp program is to use the challenges presented by the band repertoire in order to teach the campers things they need to know in order to make a good performance.

Of course, you will undoubtedly address issues of good general technique, warm-ups, exercises, etc. You can also feel free to give the students information they can take home to work on further, or suggest books/programs that they would find useful or valuable.

A good starting place would be to find out what is troubling the students in their band rehearsals, and help them to find solutions.

EVENING ACTIVITIES

Monday night, the campers will perform their blues compositions for each other, and the faculty will also perform. The students will perform one of their band tunes each subsequent night, and will have a dress rehearsal on Friday night. There will be nightly jam sessions at which campers can play with each other and with the faculty. Check the jam session schedule to see when and where you are assigned.

VOCALISTS

The STJS Jazz Camps include vocalists, and the vocalists are to be as fully a part of the camp as the instrumentalists are.

Do not ask the vocalist to sing in any other key than that which has been determined for him/her by the vocal instructor (and this is to be determined only by the vocal instructor). The vocal instructors will make every effort to put songs into keys that are appropriate for both the vocalists and the band. In the case of female vocalists, the key will usually be a fourth or fifth away from the standard key, and for this reason it is strongly suggested that (at least in the lower bands) you have the vocalist sing the song first, and then have the band modulate to the standard key, or the key which you have determined will be best for the band. In more advanced bands, you may choose to begin the tune in the standard key and then modulate for the vocalist. It is not necessary that the instrumentalists take solos in the vocalist’s key.

Bear in mind that the vocalists are, in many cases, young people who have had minimal training and can easily damage their voices if they have to force or strain their vocal cords.

For the past several years, the camps mission has been to have the vocalist sing one chorus of as many tunes as possible. Do not feel that you have to feature the vocalist and build the entire arrangement around him/her. In fact, it is prefered that you not do this. Our goal is to include the vocalists fully in the camp, not to have them dominate the performances or take up an inordinate amount of rehearsal time.

REPERTOIRE

Each band has a selection of assigned tunes, from which you can choose what you wish the band to play. The band should participate in the choice of tunes, obviously, so that they will be working on material which they find interesting (and for other reasons as well). The tunes have been assigned according to the level of difficulty and complexity. The goal is to have band one's tunes the easiest, and that the band ten tunes the most challenging. At any rate, there are tunes of various types within the assigned group - trad, swing, up-tempo, ballads, etc. - and you should be able to find three or four that will make up a good program for the band. If you wish to use other material, you may, but please check it with the camp director first.

ARRANGEMENTS

If you have written arrangements for the campers to use, or if you want to write arrangements for them, first, please consider that they will learn more from figuring out their parts themselves than they will from simply reading the music. They read music in their school band programs; they came here to learn to improvise. They would undoubtedly sound better if they played your arrangement(s), but the STJS would rather that they sound a little more ragged, and learn a little bit more. If you have arrangements that are simply “road maps” with written intros and endings, and leave room for both ensemble and solo improvisation, then you may certainly use them; but please share them with the camp director first.

CONCERT

Each band will have fifteen minutes in which to present its musical program. This includes getting on and off stage, so please help your campers learn to be efficient in this regard. They need to tune up before getting on stage, have their music and instrument(s) ready when they are called, adjust microphones and get into position in as short a time as possible.

The two faculty bands will perform for 1/2 hour each; the Swing Band will open the concert, and the Trad Band will close it. Please be a good example to the campers by demonstrating punctuality and professionalism.

 
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