Clinics

Three Steps to Improv: Bebop and Beyond is focused on educating students and music educators on the foundations of Bebop as a language, with grammar, syntax, and vocabulary at its core. Broken down into three easy steps, with clear instruction and no prior music theory required, Shannon Gunn’s clinic inspires students to explore and practice intrinsically because it paves the way for the artistic expression as an individual while paying homage to the masters. Students “learn by doing” by practicing along with her presentation as she explains each concept as outlined in her handout(s).

This master class/clinic goes through Shannon Gunn’s three step process for learning how to improvise with Bebop vocabulary at the core of improvisation. The process can be adapted to any level from Middle School through College age, and is appropriate to all levels with a focus on beginners, and classical converts. This presentation has been held at the VMEA Conference (Virginia Music Educators Assocation), Jazz Girls Day, and VCU Jazz Intensive. Students come away inspired and empowered with increased confidence in improvisation.

Shannon Gunn will share her tips and tricks for learning jazz theory, as time allows, using her warm ups, exercises, snippets, transcriptions, and tune packets. Students come away with materials they can use for self-study that can last several years, if they wish. Click the link below to see the handout.