Jazz ensembles & rock bands offer the excitement of group playing in a relaxed yet challenging setting. Small ensembles (four to six musicians) explore music ranging from straight ahead jazz to classic and contemporary rock. Improvisation is encouraged, but not required. All groups have a performance opportunity at least once per semester.
Jazz ensembles & rock bands are generally appropriate for students who have had at least 2 years of private instruction, or approval from the program coordinator, and are ages 10 and up.
Students are grouped by level, age, and musical interest. A short placement audition is required for new participants.
Remote Recording Program - Fall 2020
Remote recording develops valuable musical skills and results in finished songs that stand as signposts on your musical journey. For a meaningful experience, of course, you also need the connections with other musicians that only come from working together as a band.
The new BMS program ‘Eight Bars a Week’ is a recording project with a strong social component. Students create songs by recording and submitting individual tracks, and weekly 30 minute band meetings allow students time to interact socially while reviewing the progress of each song and receiving feedback on their contributions.
View an example of remote recording from the Beatles Summer Project 2020.
