Jazz musicians: this is an informal forum to work on improvisation and to develop your ensemble skills. This ensemble emphasizes improvisation, writing and arranging, the role of each instrument, and the development of musical interaction.
Whether you are an advanced beginner or an accomplished amateur musician, CMC’s chamber music program offers an opportunity to develop your musicianship and technique as well as the chance to play with others. Groups are composed of two to five students of compatible levels. Advanced beginners and intermediate students will focus on developing basic ensemble skills, intonation, tone quality, and rhythmic accuracy. Advanced students will study important aspects of ensemble playing, including interpretation and performance techniques.
Learn how to play in the context of an ensemble while developing improvisational skills and learning basic grooves. Repertoire includes standard Latin-jazz tunes and pieces developed in the workshop. There will be performances each winter and spring quarter.
Learn the basic concepts, terminology and strategies for jazz improvisation, and develop a repertoire along the way. By the end of the term, you will know how to recognize and play all of the mixolidian and dorian scales, and you will be introduced to the other modes as well as the blues and diminished scales. We will dedicate time to ear training exercises and work on the following jazz standards as a group.
Improve your rhythmic skills and develop your musicianship through Flamenco, Afro-American and Latin music. Emphasis is given to the study of “compás,” the Flamenco rhythmic flow, and “clave,” the key rhythmic concept in the Cuban polyrhythmic ensemble. In addition to their instrument, students will play “palmas” (hand clapping) and percussion.
This group class uses Body-Mind Centering and Feldenkrais methods to facilitate creative expression. It is an inquiry into the relationship between the body and the mind through movement, guided attention and non-verbal dialogue. This work can create fertile ground for new performance material and improvisation. In the process students may find improvements in breathing, tone, coordination and technical proficiency as well as prevent and rehabilitate injuries.Students should bring their instruments if they have one and a piece of music to play or compose at the end of each class.
Enjoy performing more and build your confidence on stage. This class will give students a chance to practice performing, get structured feedback, learn details of stage etiquette, discuss strategies for dealing with performance anxieties, and practice simple meditation and stretching exercises to enhance focus and relaxation during performance. Held at Instructor's Studio.
Ensembles and orchestras rehearse weekly in Los Altos and perform at Flint Center, Spangenberg Theatre, Foothill College and the San Mateo Performing Arts Center throughout the year. Two levels of wind ensemble are directed by Rosita Amador.
The CYS Orchestra is the most advanced group, the CYS Associate Orchestra is Intermediate and Advanced. Both are conducted by Maestro Leo Eylar.