Sean C. McGowan
Assistant Professor of Music
Music and Entertainment Industry Studies
University of Colorado Denver
Arts Building, Suite 274 C
Campus Box 162, P.O. Box 173364
Denver CO 80217-3364
303-352-3934
Sean.McGowan@ucdenver.edu
The Study of Improvisation: Scope, Emphasis & Inquiry
The concept, along with process and delivery, of improvisation is one of the most compelling and fascinating attributes of modern American art music. Improvisation is particularly integral to the successful performance of Jazz music. Indeed, improvisation is a fundamental concept inherent in many styles of art, theatre, and certain literary disciplines. However, improvisation is certainly not restricted to the arts; often people in every facet of life are required to “ad lib” or “think on their feet”.
What is the true nature of improvisation? Is there a fundamental difference between ‘organic’ improvisation and programmed response? If so, can improvisation be taught? These are the overarching questions I intend to explore in a variety of situations in the classroom and the music studio. Subsidiary questions include, “Will learning improvisatory skills inform and aid students in other academic disciplines?” and “Does the ability to function in an ‘unprepared’, spontaneous environment foster creativity, interpersonal skills, and multiple layers of awareness?”
Students will engage in a variety of (public) performance and non-performance situations to develop different stages of improvisation ability. Over the course of two semesters, performance majors will study and document several approaches to improvisation in group settings. Students will be required to keep journals assessing progress, frustrations and triumphs throughout the fifteen-week course. They will also examine numerous examples of ‘high-level’ improvisation and analyze with pertinent theoretical applications. Students will use this theory to examine their own work. These reflections, or ‘self-assessments’, will occur three times in the semester. Students will also be recorded using mobile digital audio computer equipment. Reflections will be based on these recorded performances, with significant opportunities for growth over the course of the semester.