Steve Watson, Instructor
E-mail: Steve Watson
About instructor Steve Watson
Fine Arts Center Music Gallery
The Jazz program this year has 45 students including 1 Flute, 1 Alto Sax, 2 Pianists and 41 guitar and Bassists. The fall Recital will be held on November 16th at 7:30 PM in The Fine Arts Center Theatre.
Enrollment Guidelines: A guitar placement test is given to determine the level of a student's prior experience; also, a student must demonstrate a basic understanding of the fingerboard, scales, and chords.
Performance Expectations: At the end of Guitar Theory I, a student must: 1. know all the notes on the fingerboard; 2. know all major and minor mode scales in all zones; 3. know all diatonic triad and 4-part chords in all zones; 4. sight read basic eighth-note materials; and 5. demonstrate ability to do ear training from recordings.
Guitar Performance I
Performance Expectations: At the end of Guitar Performance I, a student must: 1. perform basic blues soloing skills with single line and chords; 2. understand basic jazz harmony and perform jazz pieces both solo and with an ensemble; 3. understand rock harmony and perform with an ensemble; and 4. demonstrate a knowledge of historical periods of the guitar 1930-present.
Guitar Theory II
Performance Expectations: At the end of Guitar Theory II, a student must: 1. know all the notes on the fingerboard; 2. know all major and minor mode scales in all zones; 3. know all diatonic triad and 4-part chords in all zones; 4. sight-read basic eighth-note materials; and 5. demonstrate ability to do ear training from recordings.
Guitar Performance II
Performance Expectations: At the end of Guitar Performance II, a student must: 1. perform basic blues soloing skills with single line and chords; 2. understand basic jazz harmony and perform jazz pieces both solo and with an ensemble; 3. understand rock harmony and perform with an ensemble; and 4. demonstrate a knowledge of historical periods of the guitar 1930-present
Jazz Ensemble I
Jazz Ensemble II
Enrollment Guidelines: A student must have completed a minimum of one year of guitar, percussion, woodwind or brass, and music theory at The Fine Arts Center (preferably two years).
Performance Expectations: At the end of Jazz Ensemble, a student must be able to: 1. sight-read and improvise using the basic literature of modern jazz; 2. sight-read ensemble jazz literature; 3. write arrangements for jazz ensembles; 4. play jazz literature in duos or trios; 5. play all styles of jazz, including Latin; and 6. organize and manage a jazz ensemble.
