Course Numbering The 100- and 200-numbered courses are lower division courses. The 300- and 400-numbered courses are upper division courses.
PRF 000 Series — Jazz Ensembles
PRF100 – 400 Jazz Repertoire Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab Standard and contemporary jazz repertoire.
PRF-V100-499 The Virtual Ensemble 2 credits, 2 hours lecture/lab A performance-based virtual environment applicable to ensembles of all styles, focusing on a combination of artistic and technological considerations essential to keeping pace with twenty-first century collaborative virtual trends.
PRF101 Horace Silver Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab The repertoire of Horace Silver.
PRF201 Miles / Wayne Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab The repertoire of Miles Davis and Wayne Shorter.
PRF203 Jazz Fusion Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab Repertoire by composers in the jazz fusion tradition including Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, Jaco Pastorius and Jean-Luc Ponty among others.
PRF204 Gypsy Jazz Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab Repertoire by composers in the gypsy jazz tradition including Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli among others. Open to voice, violin, viola, cello, accordion, solo guitar, rhythm guitar and bass.
PRF205 Wes Montgomery Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab The repertoire of Wes Montgomery. Open to guitar, piano, bass, drums, and saxophone.
PRF206 Guitar Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab Jazz, Latin American and Western European repertoire arranged for 4 – 8 guitarists.
PRF207 Blues and R&B Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab Repertoire of blues and R&B composers from the 1940s to the present.
PRF301 Odd Meter Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab Repertoire in odd meters by composers including John McLaughlin, George Duke, Milton Nascimento, Nguyen Le, Airto Moreira, Esbjorn Svensson and Jeff Beck among others; also odd meter arrangements of jazz standards.
PRF302 New Orleans Ensemble — 1920s to the Present 2 credits, 3 hours lab Repertoire of composers in the early New Orleans jazz tradition including Joe “King” Oliver, Louis Armstrong, and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band along with current funk and brass bands coming out of the “Crescent City” including Rebirth Brass Band, Trombone Shorty and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Emphasis on learning repertoire by ear.
PRF303 Charles Mingus Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab The repertoire of Charles Mingus.
PRF304 Art Blakey Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab The repertoire of Art Blakey.
PRF305 Jazz Orchestra 2 credits, 3 hours lab Standard and contemporary big band literature.
PRF306A Jazz Piano Trio 1 credit, 1 hour lab Standard and contemporary jazz repertoire. Open to two students and one faculty: one on piano; one on bass; and one on drums. Note: The trio ensemble rate applies to this course (see page 10).
PRF306B Jazz Guitar Trio 1 credit, 1 hour lab Standard and contemporary jazz repertoire. Open to two students and one faculty: one on guitar; one on bass; and one on drums. Note: The trio ensemble rate applies to this course (see page 10).
PRF306C Jazz Organ Trio 1 credit, 1 hour lab Standard and contemporary jazz repertoire. Open to two students and one faculty: one on organ; one on bass; and one on drums. Note: The trio ensemble rate applies to this course (see page 10).
PRF306D Jazz Horn Trio 1 credit, 1 hour lab Standard and contemporary jazz repertoire. Open to two students and one faculty: one on horn; one on bass; and one on drums. Note: The trio ensemble rate applies to this course (see page 10).
PRF307 Chick Corea Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab The repertoire of Chick Corea.
PRF308 Improvised Music Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab Repertoire of spontaneously composed music in the jazz tradition.
PRF309 Percussion Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab Repertoire by noted composers; also features students’ original work. Prerequisite: Intermediate hand drum and stick technique and the ability to read rhythmic notation.
PRF403 Pat Metheny Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab The repertoire of Pat Metheny.
PRF405 Jazz Tentet 2 credits, 3 hours lab Arrangements for tentet: 1 alto saxophone; 1 tenor saxophone; 1 baritone saxophone; 2 trumpets; 1 trombone; piano; bass; drums; and guitar.
PRF408 Original Compositions Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab Repertoire composed and performed exclusively by ensemble students.
PRF409 Post-Bop Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab The repertoire of composers in the post-bop tradition including John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Joe Henderson and Wayne Shorter, among others.
PRF 020 Series — Strings Ensembles PRF 120 – 420 Jazz Strings Chamber Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab Repertoire of composers in the jazz strings tradition including the Turtle Island Quartet, Darol Anger, Jean-Luc Ponty, Edgar Meyer and Evan Price among others. Open to violinists, violists, cellists and double bassists.
PRF321 Jazz String Quartet 2 credits, 3 hours lab Repertoire of composers in the jazz string quartet tradition including Quartet San Francisco, the Turtle Island Quartet, Darol Ander, Jean-Luc Ponty, Edgar Meyer and Evan Price among others. Open to 2 violinists, 1 violist and 1 cellist.
PRF326 Jazz String Trio 1 credit, 1 hour lab Standard and contemporary jazz repertoire. Open to two students and one faculty on violin, viola, cello or double bass. Note: The trio ensemble rate applies to this course (see page 10).
PRF 030 Series — Latin American Ensembles
PRF230 Latin Jazz Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab Repertoire of composers in the Latin jazz tradition including Chucho Valdés, Rafael, René and Oscar Hernandez, Pedro Flores, Tito Puente and John Santos among others.
PRF231 Afro-Venezuelan Jazz Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab Repertoire of composers in the Afro-Venezuelan jazz tradition including Aquiles Baez, Aldemaro Romero and Simón Díaz among others.
PRF232 Eddie Palmieri Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab The repertoire of Eddie Palmieri.
PRF335 Afro-Cuban Percussion Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab The performance and history of traditional, popular and contemporary Latin American repertoire. Prerequisites: Intermediate hand drum and stick technique, and the ability to read rhythmic notation.
PRF336 Afro-Cuban Orchestra 2 credits, 3 hours lab The repertoire of composers in the Afro-Cuban tradition including Tito Puente, Francisco Aguabella, Eddie Palmieri, Machito and Tite Curet Alonso among others.
PRF338 Tangos, Choros and Frevos 2 credits, 3 hours lab Repertoire of composers in the Latin American tradition including Astor Piazzola, Egberto Gismonti, Jose Maria de Abreu, Toninho Horta, Edu Lobo and Steve Erquiaga among others. Diverse instrumentation welcome!
PRF339 Astor Piazzolla Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab The repertoire of Astor Piazzolla. Open to the following instrumentation: bandoneon, accordion, harmonica or melodica, piano, double bass, drums, percussion, electric guitar, violin (2), cello, flute, and clarinet.
PRF 040 Series — Brazilian Ensembles
PRF240 Brazilian Jazz Repertoire Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab Repertoire of composers in the Brazilian jazz tradition including Antônio Carlos Jobim, Toninho Horta, Chico Pinheiro, Hermeto Pascual, Dori Caymmi and Marcos Silva among others.
PRF242 Choro Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab Repertoire by composers in the choro tradition including Pixinguinha, Jacob do Bandolim, Ernesto Nazareth and Waldir Azevedo among others.
PRF245 Brazilian Rhythm Ensemble 3 credits, 3 hours lab Applied rhythms and percussion techniques from across Brazil focusing on the history and musical practice from three major cultural areas of Brazil: Rio de Janeiro; Salvador, Bahia; and the northeastern state of Pernambuco.
PRF246 Brazilian Jazz Guitar Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab Brazilian jazz repertoire arranged for 4 – 8 guitarists.
PRF346A Brazilian Jazz Piano Trio 1 credit, 1 hour lab Repertoire of composers in the Brazilian jazz tradition including Antônio Carlos Jobim, Toninho Horta, Chico Pinheiro, Hermeto Pascual, Dori Caymmi and Marcos Silva among others. Open to two students and one faculty: one on piano; one on bass; and one on drums. Note: The trio ensemble rate applies to this course (see page 10).
PRF346B Brazilian Jazz Guitar Trio 1 credit, 1 hour lab Repertoire of composers in the Brazilian jazz tradition including Antônio Carlos Jobim, Toninho Horta, Chico Pinheiro, Hermeto Pascual, Dori Caymmi and Marcos Silva among others. Open to two students and one faculty: one on guitar; one on bass; and one on drums. Note: The trio ensemble rate applies to this course (see page 10).
PRF 050 Series — Indian Ensembles PRF250 North Indian Classical Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab Repertoire in the North Indian music tradition by composers including Ali Akbar Khan and Alam Khan among others.
PRF 060 Series — Blues, R&B, Funk and Reggae Ensembles
PRF260 Blues and R&B Ensemble 2 credits, 2 hours lab Repertoire in the blues and R&B tradition from the 1940s to the present.
PRF261 East Bay Funk Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab Repertoire of composers in the funk tradition including Sly and the Family Stone, Cold Blood, Tower of Power and The Headhunters among others.
PRF262 Ska and Reggae Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab Repertoire of composers in the Ska, Rocksteady, and Reggae tradition including the Skatalites, the Upsetters, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Sly and Robbie, and Roots Radics among others. Open to all instrumentalists and vocalists.
PRF 070 Series — Pop Ensembles
PRF370 Sting Ensemble 2 credits, 2 hours lab The repertoire of Sting from “The Police” to the present.
PRF 080 Series — North American Roots Ensembles
PRF280 Bluegrass Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab Repertoire of composers in the traditional and contemporary bluegrass tradition from Bill Monroe to Béla Fleck. Open to acoustic guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, acoustic or electric bass, dobro and vocals.
PRF381 Louisiana Cajun and Zydeco Ensemble 2 credits, 2 hours lecture Repertoire of composers in the accordion-central Cajun and zydeco traditions, originating from the French-speaking Cajun and Creole communities in Southwestern Louisiana.
PRF382 Early Blues/Jug Band 2 credits, 3 hours lab Early American blues and roots repertoire post-WWI/pre-WWII (1923–1942), incorporating unconventional instruments such as jugs, washboards, harmonicas and kazoos, along with conventional instruments, including in particular, guitar and harmonica.
PRF383 Appalachian Old-Time Ensemble 2 credits, 2 hours lecture Repertoire of North American traditional music specific to the Appalachian region of the US in a string band setting of fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandolin and bass.
PRF384 Celtic Ensemble (New) 2 credits, 2 hours lecture Repertoire of instrumental and vocal music of the Celtic nations (Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall, Galicia, and the Isle of Man), incorporating traditional Celtic instruments including Celtic harp, hammered dulcimer, Irish penny whistle and bodhran.
PRF480 New Acoustic/Progressive Bluegrass Ensemble 2 credits, 2 hours lecture A sequel to PRF380, repertoire of contemporary bluegrass composers including Gillian Welch, David Grisman, Ricky Skaggs and Darol Anger. Open to acoustic guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, acoustic or electric bass, dobro and vocals.
PRF 090 Series — Western European Ensembles
PRF290 Saxophone Quartet 2 credits, 3 hours lab Repertoire of composers from the Baroque to bebop periods and beyond. Open to 1 soprano, 1 alto, 1 tenor and 1 baritone saxophone.
PRF390 Contemporary Music Ensemble 2 credits, 3 hours lab Repertoire composed and performed exclusively by ensemble students, incorporating twentieth century composition techniques. Prerequisites: HAR390C or concurrent enrollment.
PRF391 Electronic Music Ensemble 2 credits, 2 hours lab An ensemble utilizing electronic and/or electro-acoustic instruments. Covers applied synthesis and signal processing techniques, collaborative electro-acoustic improvisation, scoring techniques for unconventional instruments, and utilizing software and/or hardware instruments in live performance. Prerequisites: Access to any electronic or electro-acoustic instrument(s) such as a guitar and pedal board, keyboard synthesizer, desktop or modular synthesizer, drum machine, sampler (e.g.: Roland 404), vocal processing and looping (hardware and/ or software), iPad synthesizer apps, and a laptop with a DAW or other sound producing software (e.g.: Max/MSP, PureData, SuperCollider, VCV rack, stand-alone softsynths).
