Improvisational Music

Toronto New School is proud and excited to announce that after tremendous success with the Jam Club and grade 12 Music and Society, TNS is now offering two new music courses to both TNS students, and students outside of the school who are looking for innovative musical education.  Both of these after school courses will teach students improvisational techniques on guitar, bass, piano, and drums.  The main musical styles that will be explored are blues, rock and roll, and jazz.

All students in the program will learn the history associated with blues, rock, and jazz, as well as the musical theory that applies to all three forms.  In addition to this overarching approach, each student will receive specialized instruction in one instrument (guitar, bass, piano, or drums).  Group performance activities will then allow students to combine overarching theory with their knowledge of a specific instrument.  It is this approach that defines the structure of each week of instruction. 

Generally, the first lesson of each week will outline the history, theory, and techniques behind a particular musical concept.  Board notes, documentary films, listening exercises, and musical demonstrations will all be employed.  In the second lesson of each week, students will break into groups of guitarists, bassists, pianists, and drummers.  Each group will receive intensive instruction in their selected instrument, with the goal of applying the lessons learned in the first portion of the week.  The final lesson brings the four groups together again, allowing them to practice the techniques learned in the previous lessons within the context of a group performance.