One of the most exciting moments of the Austin Jazz Workshop project occurs when the musician enters the music classroom. In this more intimate setting, children have an opportunity to ask questions and witness firsthand the joy and dedication a professional brings to jazz performance. They are also encouraged to become active participants in the process of music-making themselves through participation in school band, orchestra, and choir programs.
The 2012-13 AJW season is dedicated to composer Henry Mancini. Mancini wrote many popular movie and television themes that still endure, including The Pink Panther and Peter Gunn. He also wrote standard tunes like Moon River, Dear Heart, and The Days of Wine & Roses.
At the conclusion of the workshop, your students will be familiar with the vocabulary terms improvisation, swing, and blue notes.
Music teachers will be contacted by your workshop clinician about two weeks prior to your scheduled assembly. Ideally, workshops should take place during the assembly week. They are aimed at grade levels three and higher, with a budget of three class periods per campus. Classes may be combined, but a maximum of 50 students in the room at one time is preferred. Workshops are designed to take place in the music classroom. They are intended as an opportunity for some of your students to get acquainted with jazz concepts and history before the full group performs on your campus, but the workshop is not required for students to enjoy the assembly performance. Workshop students are also given the opportunity for some Q&A with the clinician.
Equipment needed for the workshop: 1) CD player, 2) TV/DVD player with working remote, and 3) laptop or desktop with PowerPoint viewing capability from flash drive that we provide. The CD player should be a separate source from the device playing the PowerPoint, since they are used simultaneously.
Each workshop will contain the following sections (not necessarily in this order):
Perception: clinician will demonstrate creative nature of music artistry with his/her instrument.
Terms: Improvisation, Swing, Blue Notes
Historical/Cultural Heritage: Mancini was responsible for a resurgence of jazz themes in movies and television in the 1960′s. We will explore how he used blue notes and riffs to create a sophisticated and cool feel in his compositions.
Question/Answer session. We will leave some time at the end for questions.
Songs for the assembly performance will include Days of Wine & Roses, Pink Panther Theme, Baby Elephant Walk, Moon River, Dear Heart, Charade, and Peter Gunn Theme.
Suggested Discography
Mancini’s music has been released many times, on soundtracks and on other artists’ recordings. Here are a few suggestions. The first three are original soundtracks.
The Pink Panther, RCA Victor LSP 2795
The Music from Peter Gunn, RCA Victor LSP 1956
Music from Mr. Lucky, RCA Victor LSP 2198
Sarah Vaughan Sings the Mancini Songbook, Verve 7.21.1998
Dave Grusin, Two for the Road: The Music of Henry Mancini, GRP 5.13.1997
Janet Seidel, Charade: Henry Mancini Songbook, La Brava Music 2007
Various Artists, Shots in the Dark, Donna Records 1996, DOCD 2113