Jazz saxophone course – Level II

Educational objectives

The aim of the course is:

– to train musicians who, through the technical mastery of the instrument, are able to perform pieces, taken from the various types of the jazz repertoire, with interpretative awareness both in the restitution of the formal processes and in the ability to attribute meaning;

– to train musicians who possess advanced skills in the field of jazz arrangement and composition.

At an operational level, the student who has obtained the Level II academic diploma must be endowed with:

– in-depth analytical and critical tools capable of profiting from interactions with other musical and/or musicological disciplines, as well as with other art forms;

– adequate capacity to control one’s own emotional and psycho-physical state in function of interpretative and technical-performing effectiveness;

– appropriate ability to relate with the other instruments in the ensemble.

It is also an educational objective of the course to acquire adequate skills in the field of computer music as well as those related to a second European Community language.

Employment prospects

  • Professional concert activity oriented towards solo performance in jazz ensembles
  • Arranger and composer for jazz ensembles
  • Cultural operator in the field of music
  • Organiser of events and musical seasons
  • Consultant and music organiser at public or private institutions

Two-year school system

Admission Level II

Reserved to students in possession of a first level academic diploma, or a degree, or a diploma from a system previously in force combined with an upper secondary school diploma. Students in possession of another equivalent qualification obtained abroad and recognised as suitable may also be admitted. The above-mentioned qualifications must be consistent with the chosen course.

Instrumental Technique Assessment:

  1. Performance of an exercise chosen by the commission from Joseph E. Viola’s book, “Creative Reading Studies for Saxophone” (etudes from No. 1 to No. 4). Alternatively, the candidates may perform a published study/transcription of their choice.
  2. Execution of modal scales (taken from both major and minor modes) and their corresponding arpeggios.
  3. Additionally, the candidate should demonstrate knowledge of the primary symmetrical scales (diminished, hexatonic, and augmented) on the instrument and apply them in given harmonic progressions.
  4. Performance of four-part diatonic arpeggios in ascending, descending, and broken modes.
  5. Performance of four or more part arpeggios, selected by the commission, covering the main chord types, including extensions.

Improvisation and Sight-Reading Assessment:

  • Reading and improvisation on a jazz repertoire piece chosen by the committee (standards and originals) and one chosen by the candidate.
  • Execution of a transcription, either published or created by the candidate, of a moderately difficult solo.

List of Pieces:

Summer band camp (Goodrick) – Infant eyes (Shorter) – Fee fi fo fum (Shorter) – Black narcissuss (Henderson) – Evidence (Monk) – Very early (Evans) – Peri’s scope (Evans) – Confirmation (Parker) – Donna Lee (Parker) – Joy Spring (C. Brown) – Have you met miss Jones? (Rodgers) – a piece of the candidate’s choice

General and motivational interview

The Commission reserves the right to interrupt the test at any time.

The examination will be marked in hundredths. Candidates with a mark of not less than 60/100 will be considered suitable. All candidates must have read the official admission programmes published on the Conservatoire’s website.

SECOND TEST

Musical competence programme

For information on enrolment, please visit the “Registration” page

The detailed timetable for the admission examinations will be published in a separate notice.

Enrolment

For information on enrolment, please visit the “Registration” page

For information on enrolment, please visit “International > Foreign Students”.

For information on enrolment, please visit the “Enrolment” page

For information on enrolment, please visit the “Fees” page

Enrolment in years following the first

For information on enrolment renewal, please visit the “Registration” page

The suspension and reactivation of studies is provided for Level I and II courses only, no later than 31 July of each calendar year. Students who have not exceeded 5 academic years of suspension may request the reactivation of their career. Career reactivation cannot be requested for students who have exceeded the aforementioned number of years (the academic credits obtained will be declared obsolete and no longer valid). Career reactivation is only possible if a place is available for the current academic year.

With regard to academic career reactivation fees, please refer to the Fees and Contributions Regulations for the current academic year.

For information on enrolment renewal, please visit the “Enrolment” page

For information on enrolment, please visit the “Fees” page

Lessons

The Academic Year begins on 1 November of each year and ends on 31 October of the following year. The academic calendar is issued by the Director, by resolution of the Academic Council, normally by 31 May.

Each training activity may entail different methods of conduct and interaction between students and lecturers. In particular, there may be individual face-to-face lessons, collective face-to-face lessons, practice lectures, laboratories, practical, distance and intensive activities, training courses, seminars, projects, artistic productions, reports and production of texts and hypertexts, including multimedia, guided or autonomous individual study activities, tutoring, self-assessment and other activities.

Examinations

There are three sessions per academic year: summer, autumn and extraordinary.

Students are obliged to book by the deadlines indicated by the Registrar’s Office.

Final Examinations

In order to obtain the qualification for Level I and Level II courses, students who have acquired the required credits must pass the final examination consisting in the writing of the dissertation (Thesis) and the practical test useful to ascertain the achievement of the qualifying educational objectives of the course of study.
Booking the final examination must be made compulsorily on one’s ISIDATA profile under the heading ‘Examinations’.
At the same time, it will be compulsory to pay the ‘Graduation fee’ (by means of Pagopa service) of €30.00 by generating the payment by MAV through the ISIDATA platform under the heading ‘Fees’.

Bookings must be received in accordance with the following deadlines:
– 31 May (summer session);
– 31 August (autumn session);
– 31 January (winter session).

Students must have completed their studies at least 10 days before the final examination.

It is compulsory to submit 1 hard copy and 1 PDF/A file of the Diploma Thesis to the secretary’s office no later than 10 days before the date of the final examination. Further hard copies (tot. 4 copies) must be handed in to the commission on the day of the final examination.
Specific provisions can be found in the “Thesis Regulations”.