Our Mission:
The mission of the Banks, Bridgewater & Lewis (BBL) Fine Arts Academy is to enhance the musical knowledge base of young musicians by providing meaningful supplementary curriculum utilizing the genres of Blues, Jazz, Gospel, Rhythm & Blues and Soul in order to participate in and contribute successfully to their respective school ensemble.
Our Goals:
- To enhance the diversity of local school instrumental and vocal music educational programs by providing individual and small group instruction to low income and underrepresented students
- To increase the social competency of participating students by providing experiences that break down stereotypes and foster cultural sensitivity by bringing together students of different social and cultural backgrounds utilizing music instruction and performance as the vehicle.
- To utilize musical instruction and performance to provide low income and underrepresented students the opportunity to develop life skills such as self discipline, diligence, self expression, creativity, cooperation and problem solving.
Behavioral Objectives:
BBL Fine Arts Academy has embraced the 2014 National Arts Core Standards and the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) curriculum guide as a primary guide for instruction. They include:
- Learn and exhibit proper technique regarding instrument placement, embouchure, breathing
- Demonstrate proficiency in playing major scales in the circle of 5ths
- Develop facility on their chosen instrument by
- Learning by sight and memory concert Bb, Eb, and F scales
- Learning by sight and memory all age appropriate IMEA scales
- Learning by sight and memory the chromatic scales up to two octaves
- Learning by sight and memory the concert C diatonic scale and all of the accompanying modes; i.e. Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian
- Learning by sight and memory major and minor pentatonic scales
- Learning by sight and feel, basic rhythmic patterns common to jazz styles
- Participate in a rehearsal and performing ensemble designed to give students the opportunity to perform appropriate compositions in standard jazz, Latin jazz, and blues
- Experience ensemble playing in a variety of musical styles such as traditional jazz, blues,Latin, and Popular music
- Perform music literature in the genres of Blues, jazz, Latin jazz, and contemporary popular music )
- Play by ear simple melodies and harmonies
- Exhibit knowledge of basic chord structures and patterns through the use of harmonic instruments such as auto harp, guitar, and piano
- Exhibit a knowledge of improvisation based on the blues scale and other melodic and harmonic patterns
- Demonstrate, in a nurturing setting the ability to improvise over simple songs in blues and jazz
- Compose and perform a simple blues group piece
- Sight read simple melodies and jazz rhythms
- Learn to notate music and musical expressions through activities such as copying parts, transposing pieces into the keys of their respective instruments, transcribing simple melodies and or improvised solos, and editing parts with the appropriate articulation symbols
- Demonstrate a knowledge of basic music theory such as note values, time signatures , musical staffs, musical articulation symbols, expressions, key and rhythm recognition, melodic
- Participate in ear training exercises designed to teach intervals based upon the diatonic scale utilizing computer applications both at workstations and on-line
- Exhibit a knowledge of musical forms such as ABA, AABA, ABACA
- Analyze musical compositions through listening to musical examples, discussing their attributes and then writing about them utilizing musical vocabulary and terms.
- Exhibit a knowledge of the history of jazz, blues, Latin jazz, and popular music
Teaching Staff
Nathaniel C. Banks
nabanks2@icloud.com
Ron Bridgewater rbridgew@icloud.com
Robert Lewis
robertelewis803@att.net
Deborah Banks kayebanks@gmail.com
Abby Heras
abbyheras@gmail.com
