MUSI 3395.

001 Jazz Composition

Fall 2014 Syllabus

Instructor: Professor Dan Cavanagh

Office Number: Fine Arts 367

Office Telephone Number: 817-272-1107 (campus x21107)

Email Address: cavanagh@uta.edu

Faculty Profile: https://www.uta.edu/profiles/daniel-cavanagh

Office Hours: TBA. Since I must schedule combos and studio lessons during the first week, office
hours will be announced in class once those are set. You are always welcome to set up an
appointment if normal office hour times do not work with your schedule. To set up an appointment,
email the professor.

Section Information: MUSI 3395.001

Time and Place of Class Meetings: MW 3-3:50pm, Fine Arts 310. Individual meetings will also be
scheduled for later in the semester.

Description of Course Content: An introduction to jazz composition, focusing on no more than four
distinct melodic voices plus rhythm section. Functional and non-functional harmonic and melodic
techniques are explored. Prerequisite: MUSI 3226 or permission of instructor and successful
completion of the jazz barrier exam.

Student Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
• Discuss and demonstrate the techniques used in composing for small jazz ensembles, in
order to apply them to
• Create professional quality arrangements of jazz standards and original compositions for
small jazz ensembles (no more than four horns and rhythm section)
• Analyze and discuss the small ensemble compositions of major jazz composers

Required Textbooks and Other Course Materials:

• Jazz Composition: Theory and Practice by Ted Pease. (Boston, MA: Berklee Press, 2003).
• Modern Jazz Voicings by Ted Pease and Ken Pullig. (Boston, MA: Berklee Press, 2001).
• Manuscript paper for taking notes during class

Both texts are available in the UT Arlington Bookstore, or from www.amazon.com, www.jajazz.com,
and www.berkleepress.com, among others.

Descriptions of major assignments and examinations:

See the course outline at the end of this syllabus. Major assignments are outlined in bold typeface.

Attendance: Because learning does not just occur via graded assignments and tests, but through
all of the interactions a student has with course content, material, the professor, and peers,
attendance is taken in this course. Students are allowed one unexcused absence. Additional
unexcused absences will result in a lowering of the final grade by 3% per occurrence. A doctor’s
note is required for an excused absence. Additional extenuating circumstances resulting in requests
for an excused absence must be discussed with, and approved by, the professor in writing (email
preferred) prior to the absence. If an absence is unexcused, no in-class work (such as exams or in-
class exercises) may be made-up for credit. Likewise, assignments not turned in due to an
unexcused absence will not be accepted and will receive no credit. Tardiness will be considered an
absence. Work, including outside gig performances, is not an acceptable excuse for missing class.
Remember you are making a commitment to all of the course dates by signing up for this course.

Grading:
Daily/Weekly  short-­‐form  compositions  and  other  assignments   50%  
      Midterm  composition  project           25%  
      Final  composition  project           25%  

Make-up Exams: Exams and other graded assignments may only be made up if the absence is
excused. See the above attendance policy for the definition of an excused absence.

Makeup Policy: Late assignments are not accepted – you will receive a 0% for any assignment
turned in late, and the assignment will not be given feedback. Assignments are due at the
beginning of the class period on which they are listed in the course outline. If you have extenuating
circumstances you must consult with the professor first, and he must approve of a change in due
date via writing or email for any assignment.

Expectations for Out-of-Class Study: Beyond the time required to attend each class meeting,
students enrolled in this course should expect to spend at least an additional 3 hours per credit hour
per week of their own time in course-related activities, including reading required materials,
completing assignments, preparing for exams, practicing, etc. Out of class time related to this course
may be more if students wish to earn an A grade in this course.

Drop Policy: Students may drop or swap (adding and dropping a class concurrently) classes
through self-service in MyMav from the beginning of the registration period through the late
registration period. After the late registration period, students must see their academic advisor to
drop a class or withdraw. Undeclared students must see an advisor in the University Advising Center.
Drops can continue through a point two-thirds of the way through the term or session. It is the
student's responsibility to officially withdraw if they do not plan to attend after registering. Students
will not be automatically dropped for non-attendance. Repayment of certain types of financial
aid administered through the University may be required as the result of dropping classes or
withdrawing. For more information, contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships
(http://wweb.uta.edu/aao/fao/).

Americans with Disabilities Act: The University of Texas at Arlington is on record as being
committed to both the spirit and letter of all federal equal opportunity legislation, including the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). All instructors at UT Arlington are required by law to provide
"reasonable accommodations" to students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the basis of
that disability. Any student requiring an accommodation for this course must provide the instructor
with official documentation in the form of a letter certified by the staff in the Office for Students with
Disabilities, University Hall 102. Only those students who have officially documented a need for an
accommodation will have their request honored. Information regarding diagnostic criteria and
policies for obtaining disability-based academic accommodations can be found at
www.uta.edu/disability or by calling the Office for Students with Disabilities at (817) 272-3364.

Title IX: The University of Texas at Arlington is committed to upholding U.S. Federal Law “Title IX”
such that no member of the UT Arlington community shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from
participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education
program or activity. For more information, visit www.uta.edu/titleIX.
Academic Integrity: Students enrolled all UT Arlington courses are expected to adhere to the UT
Arlington Honor Code:

I pledge, on my honor, to uphold UT Arlington’s tradition of academic integrity, a tradition

that values hard work and honest effort in the pursuit of academic excellence.
I promise that I will submit only work that I personally create or contribute to group
collaborations, and I will appropriately reference any work from other sources. I will
follow the highest standards of integrity and uphold the spirit of the Honor Code.

UT Arlington faculty members may employ the Honor Code as they see fit in their courses, including
(but not limited to) having students acknowledge the honor code as part of an examination or
requiring students to incorporate the honor code into any work submitted. Per UT System Regents’
Rule 50101, §2.2, suspected violations of university’s standards for academic integrity (including the
Honor Code) will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct. Violators will be disciplined in
accordance with University policy, which may result in the student’s suspension or expulsion from
the University.

Electronic Communication: UT Arlington has adopted MavMail as its official means to

communicate with students about important deadlines and events, as well as to transact university-
related business regarding financial aid, tuition, grades, graduation, etc. All students are assigned a
MavMail account and are responsible for checking the inbox regularly. There is no additional charge
to students for using this account, which remains active even after graduation. Information about
activating and using MavMail is available at http://www.uta.edu/oit/cs/email/mavmail.php.

The professor will communicate important information with you via email. I will use the email address
you have set up in the MyMav system. You will be held responsible for the information sent there.
Ensure you check this email address on a regular basis (I suggest DAILY). If you need assistance
with MyMav, you may contact the Office of Information Technology (http://oit.uta.edu).

Disruptive Student Conduct: It is the goal of the professor to create an environment conducive to
efficient learning. If a student is distracting his or her fellow students and/or professor by surfing the
net, talking, texting, etc., he or she may be asked to leave the classroom for the remainder of the
period without warning. If the behavior continues or is repeated, the student may be referred to the
Office of Student Judicial Affairs for disciplinary action. Disruptive conduct includes but is not limited
to: distractions involving cellular phones, computers, and pagers during classroom lectures,
excessive chattering, tardiness and blatant inattentiveness that distracts or disturbs the instructor or
other students. For more information on disruptive student conduct, please see the Code of Student
Conduct and Discipline in the UT Arlington Handbook of Operating Procedures, or visit
http://www.uta.edu/studentaffairs/conduct/

Student Feedback Survey: At the end of each term, students enrolled in classes categorized as
“lecture,” “seminar,” or “laboratory” shall be directed to complete an online Student Feedback Survey
(SFS). Instructions on how to access the SFS for this course will be sent directly to each student
through MavMail approximately 10 days before the end of the term. Each student’s feedback enters
the SFS database anonymously and is aggregated with that of other students enrolled in the course.
UT Arlington’s effort to solicit, gather, tabulate, and publish student feedback is required by state law;
students are strongly urged to participate. For more information, visit http://www.uta.edu/sfs.

Final Review Week: A period of five class days prior to the first day of final examinations in the long
sessions shall be designated as Final Review Week. The purpose of this week is to allow students
sufficient time to prepare for final examinations. During this week, there shall be no scheduled
activities such as required field trips or performances; and no instructor shall assign any themes,
research problems or exercises of similar scope that have a completion date during or following this
week unless specified in the class syllabus. During Final Review Week, an instructor shall not give
any examinations constituting 10% or more of the final grade, except makeup tests and laboratory
examinations. In addition, no instructor shall give any portion of the final examination during Final
Review Week. During this week, classes are held as scheduled. In addition, instructors are not
required to limit content to topics that have been previously covered; they may introduce new
concepts as appropriate.

Emergency Exit Procedures: Should we experience an emergency event that requires us to

vacate the building, students should exit the room and move toward the nearest exit, which is
located near room 302, to the right from this classroom, and then left, at the end of the hall. When
exiting the building during an emergency, one should never take an elevator but should use the
stairwells. Faculty members and instructional staff will assist students in selecting the safest route
for evacuation and will make arrangements to assist individuals with disabilities.

Student Support Services: UT Arlington provides a variety of resources and programs designed to
help students develop academic skills, deal with personal situations, and better understand concepts
and information related to their courses. Resources include tutoring, major-based learning centers,
developmental education, advising and mentoring, personal counseling, and federally funded
programs. For individualized referrals, students may visit the reception desk at University College
(Ransom Hall), call the Maverick Resource Hotline at 817-272-6107, send a message to
resources@uta.edu, or view the information at www.uta.edu/resources.

Emergency Phone Numbers: In case of an on-campus emergency, call the UT Arlington Police
Department at 817-272-3003 (non-campus phone), 2-3003 (campus phone). You may also dial 911.

[COURSE SCHEDULE BEGINS NEXT PAGE]

 Course Schedule – MUSI 3395.001
Fall 2014, Prof. Cavanagh
NOTE: All assignments due on the date listed at the beginning of class. All readings must be
completed by the beginning of the class period on which they are listed.

READING KEY: JC = Jazz Composition: Theory and Practice

MJV = Modern Jazz Voicings

As the instructor for this course, I reserve the right to adjust this schedule in any way that serves the
educational needs of the students enrolled in this course. Adjustments will be announced in-class
and an updated course schedule posted to Blackboard. The course schedule on Blackboard will be
regarded as the correct and most current version. – Daniel M. Cavanagh
MONDAYS WEDNESDAYS
Aug. 25 Aug. 27
Introduction/Review MJV pp. 41-67 (this is review from Jazz Theory)
Blues Form
DUE: Speed Writing ABAC assignment
Sept. 1 – NO CLASS (Labor Day) Sept. 3
JC pp. xiiii-xvii, 1-9, 111-124 • MJV pp. 11-18
Melodic Considerations, more Blues
DUE: Two 12-bar blues, each in a different key. 1)
Riff-based; 2) Through-composed
Sept. 8 Sept. 10
JC pp. 10-26, 126-139. Song form cont.
Melodic Considerations, Rhythmic Density DUE: Two blues, each in different key: 1) “Phrygian
Song Form (AABA) blues” (see p. 117); 2) Bebop blues (or “Bird Blues”,
DUE: Two blues, each in different key: 1) 24- see p. 114)
bar blues (“double-form”); 2) 16-bar blues
Sept. 15 Sept. 17
JC pp. 28-50, 140-157 JC pp. 51-61, 80-89
Song form wrap-up – ABAC, ABCA’/D Writing Functional Harmony–Introduction
DUE: 1) Bebop contrafact composition, high rhythmic
density, over the chord changes to “I’ve Got Rhythm”
2) Standard-style tune (low rhythmic density) over
the chord changes to “Star Eyes”
Sept. 22 Sept. 24
JC pp. 104-110 Melodic Coupling
Functional Harmony – substitutions/reharms DUE: 1) Complete composition, harmony and
melody, using ABAC song form. 2) Complete
composition, harmony and melody, using AABA
song form.
Sept. 29 Oct. 1
JC pp. 164-173, review pp. 34-36 Two horns – explosion/implosion technique
Melodic coupling cont., compound melody, DUE: Two more tunes in song form using the ABAC
Intros/Endings

Oct. 6 Oct. 8
Two voice counterpoint Two voice counterpoint cont., look at Bach 2-part
DUE: Midterm Project Rough Draft inventions
Listen to Bach Inventions No. 2 (C minor), No. 9 (F
minor), No. 14 (Bb major). You may find these online
in the Naxos Listening library at
http://uta.naxosmusiclibrary.com/catalogue/item.asp
?cid=8.550679
Oct. 13 Oct. 16
NO CLASS DUE: Midterm Project. Readings in Class (we will
DUE: (please submit PDFs via Blackboard): meet in 367G today). Bring one score and a
One original tune for two horns, using complete set of transposing parts (one each for
functional harmony, ABAC or ABCA’ form. trumpet, saxophone, trombone, plus 3 concert pitch
The tune should demonstrate each of treble clef for rhythm section)
counterpoint, melodic coupling, and
explosion/unison techniques.

Oct. 19 Oct. 22
Introduction to non-functional harmony. Non-functional harmony cont. – analysis, slash
Melody first/chords second. (Three horns) chords, pedal points, chords first/melody second
– Quartal, Planing & Pan-Diatonicism

Oct. 27 Oct. 30
(Guest Lecture - TBA) NO CLASS – Individual Meetings will be
DUE (Please submit PDFs via Blackboard): scheduled
Two pieces in ABAC form, three horns using DUE (please submit PDFs via Blackboard): Two
non-functional harmony. For one, you must tunes for three horns in ABAC or ABCA’ format 1)
write the chords first; for the other, write the using quartal harmony and planing; 2) using slash
melody first. Follow the processes outlined in chords/pedal points, etc.
the handout “Composition lesson #4” and
“Composition lesson #5”
Nov. 3 Nov. 5
Writing for four horns – Block chords, 5- Block chords continued, Non-standard forms
plane/9-plane DUE: Block chords worksheet

Nov. 10 Nov. 12
Orchestration decisions with multiple horns Melody/chordal accompaniment (chordal ‘comping’);
DUE: Arrangement of “Take the ‘A’ Train” for explosion technique for more than 2 horns
four horns, using block chords only (soli-
type)

Nov. 17 Nov. 19
Writing for three horns & functional harmony Three horns cont. – counterpoint, misc.
DUE: One original piece for four horns using
each of block, melody/chordal, and explosion
techniques, using a three-part non-standard
form
Nov. 24 Nov. 26
Backgrounds in small group arrangements Full arrangements for small group – various modern
DUE: One tune in ABAC or ABCA’ format considerations.
using three horns and functional harmony Assignment of Final Project (see handout)

Dec. 1 Dec. 3
Individual meetings today – no class Wrap-up – final exam
DUE: One piece using a non-standard form
for four horns, using combination of chordal
accompaniment, counterpoint, and melodic
coupling or explosion. Functional harmony.
Bring to your individual meeting
FINAL EXAM: Monday, Dec. 8, 2014, 2:00pm – 4:30pm. Location TBA. Final Projects are due
at this time, including one printed set of taped parts, and a full score.