Inside the Music: Freedom in Jazz

Jazz is the ultimate expression of melody, rhythm, and improvisation—by any instrument or voice. In the centre of the creation of jazz music is what we call the "blues".

Inside the Music: Freedom in Jazz is an introduction to jazz music. Performed and facilitated by some of Singapore’s leading jazz musicians, students will be introduced to a brief history of the music genre that has spread to different corners of the world today, its unique socio-political history, and its connection with local musicians and the music scene.

Through performances recorded live at Esplanade, students will also find out more about essential jazz elements such as the major and minor pentatonic scales, rhythm and syncopation, the blues scale, and call and response. This programme is aimed at students and teachers with some preceding knowledge of music but can be appreciated by students at any level of music learning.

This programme is commissioned by the National Arts Council as part of the Digital Performing Arts-Based Learning (PABL) Pilot Programme.

Learning Objectives

• Gain a basic understanding of the history and development of jazz
• Recognise various instruments and their roles in the creation of jazz music
• Identify and practice basic jazz concepts such as the major and minor pentatonic scales, rhythm and syncopation, and call and response
• Appreciate how jazz concepts are used in the creation of jazz music
• Gain a basic appreciation of how cultural instruments may be incorporated into jazz music