Project by: Marlo Hulnick (10th Grade)
Project Advisor: Mr. D.
Student(s)’s Advisor(s): Kelly
Description of the Project:
This project is a continuation of the last two trimesters, and I am building on the skills I’ve learned throughout this year. Similar to my original plan in the first trimester, I am working on transcribing a song, that if we are physically in school next fall, will possibly be performed at the winter concert (similar to last year’s trio honors project, when we performed Autumn Leaves). This trimester, I am working on transcribing Cheesecake by Dexter Gordon, all by ear, using the skills I have learned throughout the course of this year-long project.
Final Product (e.g., documents, images, video, audio, poster, display, etc.):
The final product will culminate in a performance sometime next year, but here is a poster to document my culmination for this trimester:
Update on Progress from Weeks 1-3 (include any photos or video if relevant):
The first two weeks back, Mr. D. and I met and discussed the logistics of our project and how it would change to fit the new learning environment that we are in. On the third week, we came up with a plan for what we were changing the project to, and decided on this transcription.
Update on Progress from Weeks 4-6 (include any photos or video if relevant):
During this 4-6 week benchmark, I have made a lot of progress in my transcription, but still have a lot to do. I have figured and written out the melodic notes, and I am now working on transcribing the rhythm into Noteflight to make sheet music. This is one of my biggest musical challenges, and rhythm is an area that I continue to work on. This continued project has allowed me to work on my weaknesses, and I’ve seen my improvements from the beginning of this year until now.
Update on Progress from Weeks 7-9 (include any photos or video if relevant):
I have spent the last few weeks of this project finishing my transcription (for now) and planning with Mr. D. about our steps to continue this project next year, and navigating possible circumstances. I finished transcribing the melody of the entire form of Cheesecake, although it still is written out on a piece of paper, rather than notated on a score. After talking during a meeting, Mr. D. and I have decided that we are going to continue working with this song as we continue this Honors Project into next year, and over the summer I will continue working to transcribe the song by transcribing Dexter Gordon’s solo and notating this and the melody in order to build off of this next year.
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Trimester Two Reflection:
I’m proud of the work I’ve done over this trimester, and just by watching the videos and remembering where I started this trimester, I feel very accomplished with the improvements I’ve made. I am much more confident, and I’ve learned to take improvisational risks that I wouldn’t have took prior to this project. I’m very thankful to Mr. D. for encouraging me, supporting me, and pushing me to be better. He is a great teacher and he has taught me so much. I’m grateful that I have the opportunity to continue working with him.
Description of the Project:
Although the goal of the project is the same as last trimester, which is improving and exploring improvisation, Mr. D. and I adapted the honors project during the second trimester. Instead of continuing to transpose a song, we worked with a song that we both knew as I worked on my improvisation for that song using piano.
Final Product (e.g., documents, images, video, audio, poster, display, etc.):
Final Reflection on Learning:
Update on Progress from Weeks 1-3 (include any photos or video if relevant):
In this video, I’m still having trouble soloing over the chords and playing the right notes. I’m not taking many risks while soloing and my comping is much more simple compared to later on in the trimester.
Update on Progress from Weeks 4-6 (include any photos or video if relevant):
In this video, it is evident that I’m getting more comfortable with the comping chords and even though I am still struggling with my improvisational skills, I am starting to take more risks while soloing. Overall, I am more confident and this is a significant improvement from the previous video.
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Trimester 1 Reflection:
When originally thinking about this honors project, I had thought that I was just going to work on playing saxophone, but after starting the project it turned into much more than that. At first, I explored improvisation through saxophone. Mr. D. and I decided to approach improvising through starting with transcriptions, so I worked on playing Miles Davis’ solo on his song “Freddie Freeloader.” About halfway through the project, Mr. D. and I decided that I would work on this project through the piano. I learned a lot about myself as a musician through the project. Since the switch to piano about halfway through the trimester, I have been working on a transcription of Miles Davis’ “Freddie Freeloader.” This has been a challenging part of the project, but it has been interesting to challenge my weaker points such as chord changes because melodies have always come easier to me. I look forward to continuing and diving deeper next trimester.
ORIGINAL PROPOSAL:
Please write a description of the project you are proposing. Why do you want to take this on, and what do you hope to learn?
For this proposed project I will work with Mr. D on learning how to expand my jazz improvisation vocabulary through exploring great jazz musicians, jazz standards, and improvisation fundamentals such as scales. I want to take on this project because I want to improve myself as a saxophonist because working on improvisation is such an important part of this. I hope to learn more about the history of jazz by playing different songs. I also want to learn more about scales and improvising over different songs and different chord changes.
Critical thinking, creativity, citizenship and courage are essential LREI learning values. Explain how you’ll draw on at least one of these values to complete your proposed project?
It takes courage to improvise in any setting, and by working on musical improvisation I will draw specifically on this skill. It takes a lot of courage to put yourself out there and improvise because there is risk to not having played this same thing before, and not knowing what is coming next. It takes even more courage to do this in front of others.
What is your proposed outcome? How will you be able to demonstrate successful completion of this Project? How do you plan to share your learnings with the larger LREI community (e.g., exhibit of work, poster of learnings, performance, etc.)?
My proposed outcome of this project is to perform at a coffeehouse or another type of school assembly (maybe a concert) to showcase what I have worked on.
Please provide a general outline that indicates your work plan for the trimester? What are some of the key project benchmarks (i.e., goals that will help to ensure that you finish the project)?
My goal is that near the end of the trimester I have a repertoire of at least two or three songs. My benchmarks are at the middle of November and the middle of December. These benchmarks are relative to the repertoire that I will build.
When do you plan on meeting?
We plan on meeting on Fridays during X-Block.
