Description:

Alan Pasqua is an Assistant Professor in Jazz Studies at the University of Southern California and discusses teaching improvisation. He teaches classes for pianists and other instrumentalists in jazz improvisation and jazz styles and analysis. He discusses that even as the teacher he has to improve in the class as well. He explains that he likens music and improvisation to architecture. He notices that students improvise from chord to chord but eventually a musician becomes intuitive about it. He encourages looking at music from the intuitive side and what makes the song the song. Mr. Pasqua also discusses how he has his students pick an artist that shows a definite change in musical growth including sound and style. He likes to have his students try to listen to music in a different way because he believes that they can find interesting things musically. Also in this segment, he discusses phrasing with breath and body.