Proposal for a New Course at De Smet Jesuit

Today’s Date___11-22-21___

Faculty Member ___Nick Moramarco______

Department (s) ___Fine Arts__________________

For School Year _____22-23_________

Grade Level/s FR SO JU SN

Credit .5 or 1? Other? _1 (year-long course)___

Name of Course ___Honors Jazz Band___

Course Description
Prerequisite: Jazz Band or Concert Band
This advanced group is selected by an audition process and is open to students who have music
theory knowledge and a high level of proficiency on their instruments. Special emphasis will be placed
on honing improvisation and sight-reading skills. A continued study of advanced music theory topics
will supplement students' ensemble playing. Because this is a performance-based course, students
are required to participate in many school functions, community events, and various workshops and
festivals sponsored by local high schools and universities.

1. How does the course fit into your department’s curriculum?

2. What need is it addressing?
3. Is it interdisciplinary?
4. Would it replace an existing course or would it create conflicts with existing
courses?

1) This course is one step toward creating larger performing ensembles and would follow the
established curriculum in Instrumental Music.
2) This course (and its partner “Jazz Band”) would replace the current three levels of Jazz with
two. This would allow for more students in each ensemble and therefore a broader
instrumentation, which would facilitate a more diverse repertoire of playable pieces.
3) By its nature, music is interdisciplinary as it involves keen reading skills, exacting mathematics,
and mechanical aptitude. Furthermore, the richness of Jazz’s history enables learning its
roots in Black America and the musical traditions which ultimately stemmed from the
enslavement of African people.
4) This course (and its sister course I’m proposing “Jazz Band”) would replace the current three
Jazz courses: “Honors Jazz Combo”, “Jazz Combo”, and “Jazz Lab”.

Rationale – How will this course deepen our ability for us to realize the graduate at
graduation in the 21st Century?
This course will provide students opportunity for ensemble playing and performing.
Specifically, it will allow for larger groups with more diverse instrumentation.
Playing as a group necessitates listening to and working intimately with others –
adapting to and supporting their needs. This is a key component of Loving.
Additionally, simply playing an instrument and pursing an artform as complicated as
Jazz is a direct example of being Open to Growth.
Lastly, as an Honors course, members of this ensemble are the best players at the
school, and will develop themselves as Leaders for all the other instrumentalists at
the school.