Dariusz Terefenko, associate professor of jazz studies and contemporary media at the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music, has published Jazz Theory: From Basic to Advanced Study. Accompanied by a DVD and a companion website, the comprehensive 490-page textbook is designed for use in the classroom or at home by individual musicians.
As a self-study guide, the book is written for both amateur and professional performers, covering topics from music fundamentals to ear training, keyboard skills, improvisation, and theory. For the classroom, Jazz Theory: From Basic to Advanced Study is intended for study over a two- or four-semester curriculum.
Divided into three sections–for beginners, intermediate, and advanced students–the book includes 356 musical examples ranging from original lead sheets of standard tunes and jazz instrumentals to sample solos and re-harmonized tunes. In addition, the book’s DVD features 46 play-along tracks to which students can practice jazz improvisation.
A 372-page workbook for Jazz Theory: From Basic to Advanced Study, with written exercises and keyboard and ear-training drills, is free of charge and can be downloaded from the website: http://www.routledge.com/cw/terefenko/. The companion website hosts the workbook as well as audio tracks of the musical examples featured in the textbook. Terefenko has also compiled two appendices: an alphabetical list of the titles, composers, and lyricists of the 999 songs he mentions in his book, and a list of 200 standard tunes that every jazz musician should know.
Comments on Jazz Theory: From Basic to Advanced Study have come from Fred Sturm, professor of jazz and improvisational music at Lawrence University Conservatory of Music, who said, “It is the most articulate and exhaustive exploration of jazz theory that I’ve witnessed, making it a terrific resource for classroom instructors, private teachers, and students wishing to tackle this broad subject independently.” Dennis Mackrel, musical director of the Count Basie Orchestra, noted, “Not only is it well-written, well-researched and thorough, it’s very accessible and understandable regardless of one’s age or level of experience.”
Jazz Theory: From Basic to Advanced Study was published by Routledge and can be purchased online on the publisher’s website, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other sites.
Terefenko earned his Master of Music degree in jazz piano performance and his Ph.D. in music theory at the Eastman School of Music. In addition to teaching in the jazz department, he is an affiliate professor of music theory. His interests lie in the area of classical and jazz improvisation and the ways they interact with one another. Terefenko has written articles and reviews for several publications, including Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association, Jazz Inside Magazine, and the Journal of the Association for Recorded Sound Collections. He gives lecture-recitals on jazz piano styles and baroque and jazz improvisation throughout North America and Europe.
As a performer, Terefenko maintains an active and diverse concert schedule as the pianist for Rochester’s Smugtown Stompers and as a solo pianist across the United States, Canada, and Europe. His solo album Evidence offers his take on favorite jazz standards, jazz instrumentals, and his own compositions.
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