Ensembles

After brief auditions on the first JIMS-day and after evaluation by your teachers you can sign up for a specific ensemble. The ensembles have various requirements like "Reading requirements" and "Playing/Improvisational requirements".

Reading requirements:
Medium: You should be able to read a melodic or rhythmic chart in treble or bass clef and have basic knowledge of chord-changes or improvisational instructions.
High: You should be able to sight read complex melodic or rhythmic lines and complex harmonic .

Playing/improvisational requirements:
Medium: You should be familiar with your instrument in the whole range and all possible scales and harmonic environments
High: You should be able to improvise on complex harmonic structures or in a free improvisational scene be able to contribute a wide range of stylistic vocabulary

Ellery Eskelin's Ensemble:

Reading requirements: Med-high level
Playing requirements: High level

Mark Dresser's Ensemble:

Reading requirements: High level
Playing requirements: High level

Lisa Bielawa's Composition Class:

Reading requirements: high level
Playing requirements: Med-high level

Besides attending composition class you will compose for one of the other ensembles under pressure of time.
Topics: a rough guide to instruments (range, dynamics, possibilities and impossibilities in writing for specific instruments); orchestration that works, happening compositional techniques.

Mark Feldman's Ensemble:

Reading requirements: Highest level
Playing requirements: Highest level

Huw Warren's Ensemble:

Reading requirements: Med-high level
Playing requirements: High level

JIM Black's Ensemble:

Reading requirements: No
Playing requirements: Med-high level

Wolfgang Muthspiel's Ensemble:

Reading requirements: Highest level
Playing requirements: Highest level

Claudia Solal's Ensemble:

Reading requirements: No
Playing requirements: Med-high level

Vincent Courtois' Ensemble:

Reading requirements: Some
Playing requirements: High level

JIMS Orchestra :

to be announced