Developing the Successful Jazz Ensemble: A Comprehensive Course in Jazz Pedagogy

Join Mike Steinel as he takes the mystery out of teaching jazz to middle and high school students. This all-inclusive course covers jazz history, the basics of jazz style, teaching improvisation (with a special emphasis on beginners), strategies for teaching the rhythm section (piano, bass, drums and guitar), jazz repertoire (beginning and intermediate), and jazz sight-reading. Participants will have opportunities to improve their own instrumental skills while learning new strategies for helping students enjoy America’s national treasure: jazz. This class is partially sponsored by Yamaha Musical Instruments and the Hal Leonard Corporation.

Instructor: Mike Steinel

Mike Steinel is a jazz trumpeter, pianist, composer and arranger. He is currently Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of North Texas, where he teaches jazz improvisation, jazz trumpet, and jazz pedagogy.

Internationally recognized as a jazz educator, Steinel is the author of Building a Jazz Vocabulary and Essential Elements for Jazz Ensemble, both published by Hal Leonard Music Corporation. He is an active clinician and guest artist, and has performed throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. He has served on the faculties of Clark Terry Jazz Camp, the Jamey Aebersold Improvisation Camps, the Saskatchewan Summer Jazz Camp, and the University of Missouri Summer Jazz Residency. He is the founder and director of the UNT Jazz Combo Workshop, the UNT Jazz Trumpet Workshop, and the UNT Jazz Winds Workshop.

Steinel has performed as soloist at the MENC and IAJE national conventions and at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic. He has performed with legends such as Clark Terry, Don Ellis, Bill Evans and Jerry Bergonzi, and appears on recordings with the Chicago Jazz Quintet and the Frank Mantooth Big Band.  Honors received include an Illinois Arts Council Chairman's Grant and a jazz fellowship grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Steinel has served as co-chair of the Jazz Advisory Panel for the National Endowment for the Arts and holds a BME degree from Emporia State University and a MME degree from the University of North Texas. Recent clinics (since 2011) include presentations at state music conventions in Iowa, Nebraska, Texas, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, Missouri and Arkansas. He has also presented at provincial music conventions in Vancouver, Manitoba and Ontario. In his 34 years as a jazz educator, Steinel has performed or presented clinics in 41 states.