Online Courses
All online Summer MECA
courses begin on June 8 and
conclude on July 31, 2020.
Registration for
all online courses
expires at 12:00 noon CST
on June 5, 2020.
Questions?
Visit our MECA FAQs page.
Drop, withdraw or change using
the Add/Drop Form.
For other MECA-related questions,
contact us at meca@vandercook.edu
or 312.788.1139.
Beginning Jazz Improvisation
ONLINE
June 8–July 31, 2020
This course is designed for music performers and educators who want to learn how to improvise. Through carefully selected jazz repertoire, participants will learn the basic mechanics of improvisation and the essential music theory elements needed to improvise, including modal improvisation, the blues, ii-V-I progressions, and simplifying chord progressions. Participants will practice and perform jazz improvisation concepts on the instrument of their choice. No previous experience with improvisation is required.
Instructor: Michael Fein
Michael Fein earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Rutgers University and a master’s degree in jazz saxophone performance from Rowan University. He released his debut jazz album, Four Flights Up, in April 2005 (available on iTunes). Fein has presented numerous sessions at music and technology conferences including the 2005 National Education Computing Conference and the 2009 and 2010 TI:ME National Conferences. He was awarded the TI:ME Teacher of the Year in 2007. In 2010, Fein co-authored Making Music with GarageBand and Mixcraft, a music production curriculum text, and recently authored Teaching Music Improvisation with Technology, published in February 2017. Fein currently teaches graduate music technology courses at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and music technology electives and jazz ensemble at Haverford High School in Haverford Township, PA.
Course Details
Beginning
Jazz Improvisation
Course Code 7950
Instructor
Michael Fein
3 Graduate Credits
Tuition
$1,050, due in full with registration
Chat Sessions
TBD
Prerequisites
None
Required Text(s)
None
Software/Hardware Requirements
Access to a Mac, PC or Chromebook with Internet access and the latest version of Google Chrome or Firefox.
MECA Online Course Details
VanderCook Online is powered by Schoology (www.schoology.com). Through this learning management system, you'll be able to interact directly with your instructor, students in your classes, and members of the greater VanderCook Online community.
Summer 2020 MECA courses officially begin on Monday, June 8. Soon after you register, you'll be added as a new Schoology user. Be on the lookout for an email from Schoology with log-in instructions. Once you are given credentials, visit
www.online.vandercook.edu to login. On the morning of June 8, you'll have access to your classroom and course material.
Some courses have specific online chat meeting times while others have a flexible meeting schedule; please check individual course descriptions and details. You can expect all courses to meet together in a live online chat. If you are unable to attend the scheduled live meeting time, please consult your instructor to make alternative arrangements.
You'll have the opportunity to work at your own pace each week while completing assignments and posting responses to discussion questions. You'll constantly be interacting with your instructor and classmates online, and working through new material each week. We know how crazy school schedules can get, so our instructors try to make everything as flexible as possible!
Transcript requests can be made online using the Transcript Request Form. Any inquiries regarding transcripts should be directed to the Registrar’s Office at 312.788.1151. If you are in need a quick turn around time for your transcript please submit the request to the registrar prior to the end of your course(s).