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Improvisation in the Music Standards: How to Deal with Its Presence

Writer's picture: Music RoomMusic Room
Student playing an improvised jazz trumpet solo
A student plays an improvised trumpet solo.

How do you feel about improvisation in your music program?  Is it something you and your students embrace and practice often, or is a task that is avoided?  Are you good at improvising, or do you reluctantly deal with its presence so that students are at least exposed to it?  



What if you don’t teach jazz ensemble?  What then?


The NafMe Music Standards Require You To Deal With Improvisation's Presence!


The 2014 NafMe standards state in many categories an anecdote about including improvisation in performance, creation and analysis of music.  As early as the first listed standard for Ensembles is improvisation listed.  The standards: MU:Cr1.1.E, MU:Cr2.1.E, and Common Anchor No. 11 (Connect No. 11) clearly state that improvisation needs to be included in all levels of instruction, from Novice to Advanced.  Please see NafMe 2014 Music Standards for Ensemble for further explanation.


However, the only places you might see improvisation actually happening is in high school jazz ensemble, drama club warm-ups and occasionally in general music, but probably not often enough and in enough different conceptual settings.  


It’s not enough. 


What about concert band?  What about orchestra?  How about in dance?  Does every course whose standards state a requirement for improvisation contain it?  It should and it is supposed to!  In the instance that your course structure gets an audit from an administrator, you should be prepared to defend its existence.  Administrators are doing their jobs to be sure all facets of the standards are covered and improvisation should not be an exception.


All it takes is a little curriculum planning to use improvisation as a vehicle to work through other concepts.


Let’s dig a little deeper by course:


  • Jazz Ensemble: This is a given and should be a part of frequent rehearsals at all levels.

  • Band: There’s jazz and big band pieces arranged for concert band!  Same rules could apply.

  • Orchestra: There’s jazz and big band pieces arranged for orchestra!  Same rules could apply.  However!  Remember that swing eighths are difficult for separated bowings, so encouraged slurred eighth note pairs.

  • Music Theory: Realize the chord progressions to improvise over

  • Music Technology: Technologically generate the backing tracks to improvise over.

  • Dance: Easy- improvise often, even in warmups

  • Theater: Structure warm-ups and training based on time period, style, character type, or randomly


General Music:


No grade levels should be skipped.  Improvisation needs to be started in Kindergarten when students have fewer inhibitions and are more willing to get a little silly with their ideas.  No matter what grade level or activity, a culture of sharing needs to be built in regards to improvisation, so students feel that your classroom is a safe place to share their ideas and try things.  They need to know they can fail safely.  Certain students will excel at improvisation and some will be hesitant to try, but you can do your part to help them feel safe in their attempts.  Remember, you need to grade them on participation, so they need to attempt it somehow through your easy prompts at first.  



Children playing in a drum circle

Primary Grades: 

-Improvising sounds, improvising notes for a random song, improvising simple rhythms, one unit (note, beat, sound) at a time.  

-Improvising dance and theater scenarios is a fun way to switch it up, and YES Kindergarteners and first graders can do simple improv games, but watch your classroom management.  It is imperative to have consequences established before for rule-breaking, too much noise, or uncontrollable behavior because it WILL happen.  

-Improvising rhythm patterns on classroom percussion instruments and on Orff instruments.


Intermediate Grades:  

-Any of the above that is consistent with their abilities and grade level needs.

- Improvising sounds, patterns in C position on piano, on recorder with G through D, and more expectations with mallet percussion harmonies and melodies.  

- Improvising notes or chord sequences on Ukulele

-Improvising rhythm patterns while in a drum circle setting

- Improvising as an idea generator for composing.


Middle Grades:

  • All of the above at their grade level and ability expectations, based on what equipment you have available.  


The possibilities are really endless.  The students should be raised with this as early in their lives as possible, or if you are new to adding it to their curriculum, as early in the year as possible.  The later you present this concept to them, the more they will overthink it, freeze up in front of peers and refuse to try.  Again, special care needs to be taken to create a culture in your classroom for safe sharing.  The more frequent the short opportunities are, the better they will respond in attitude, skill and confidence as time goes on.  


You got this!  Dealing with the presence of improvisation does not have to be intimidating to you or your students with planning, extra frequency and short bursts of improvisational expectations. 




Karen Janiszewski's profile picture

This article was written by Music Room/Uplevel U: Music's owner and creator, Karen (Kay) Janiszewski.



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