HOW CAN A CLASSICALLY-TRAINED PIANO TEACHER BEGIN TO TEACH JAZZ?
A classically-trained piano teacher can do a great deal to introduce students to jazz playing. They are often plunged into service when a student announces: “I just made (or was drafted into) the school jazz band. Can you help me with this music?” As this may be the first challenge you face, I’ll deal with it first, although it would have been preferable for the student to have gradually developed jazz listening and playing skills over a period of time (more about that later). Begin by asking the student to bring the jazz band charts to the lesson so you can study them. Middle School/Junior High piano parts are usually all written out so even if students cannot read chord symbols or improvise, they can be successful with just a little help from you and the director. Many arrangers of school jazz band music are not pianists and may have limited understanding of what a young student can successfully read and play, so you may have to do some editing. Big chords with six or eight voices ca