Buffalo Grove High School Jazz Band Information

Students who wish to participate in the Buffalo Grove High School Jazz Bands are invited to audition for the ensembles at the start of the school year. Participation is open to students enrolled in the Concert or Symphonic Bands and Orchestras who play trumpet, trombone, saxophone, and percussion. Participation is open to any students in the school who play guitar, bass, or piano. Students who are selected for Jazz Band I will receive academic credit and a schedule of rehearsals will be distributed for the school year. Students chosen for Jazz Band II will participate in the group as an activity and do not receive academic credit. This group meets on average once a week at different times in the school year. Interested students should contact Mr. Jacobi at     ed.jacobi@d214.org  

Contact with Mr. Jacobi should be made on or during the first week of classes in August.

Instrumental Ensemble (Jazz Theory and Improvisation)

This course is taught during the school day and is open to all students who play a musicalinstrument with proficiency and can read standard musical notation. Students are taught elements of Jazz Theory and then utilize this knowledge to write jazz tunes in a hierarchy of difficulty throughout the school year. Students write the music using notational software in the school’s MIDI Lab, and then after printing out their work, they play the music in a jazz combo setting in the band room and learn how to improvise. This class also supports students and groups who are honored for their success by providing a musical “sendoff” when the school celebrates their achievements. Students can enroll for this class through their counselor.