Jazz Philharmonic: Viola Book & Online Audio

Phillips constructed this series with visceral understanding of what string players need to embrace jazz with confidence. The genius lies in the complete scaffolding: every arrangement, background, and solo part stands alone as a playable performance vehicle with zero improvisation required, which means your students perform actual jazz tunes from day one without the friction of learning improvisation simultaneously. The recorded accompaniments transform practice sessions into genuine musical experiences, making jazz feel accessible rather than intimidating.

The music swings with genuine jazz flavor while remaining grounded in the viola's lyrical strengths. You'll find yourself playing melody, countermelody, and harmonic foundation across the arrangements, discovering that jazz writing for strings creates a different kind of satisfaction than classical repertoire. The recorded accompaniments make every page feel like a real performance, not a homework exercise.

Viola students in middle school through early high school who are ready to expand their musical language into jazz but need structured, readable material. This works equally well for string orchestras seeking accessible yet genuine jazz repertoire and for programs wanting to introduce stylistic diversity without abandoning notation-based learning.

• Balance your tone with the jazz swing style by listening closely to the recorded accompaniment; let the rhythmic pocket of the rhythm section guide your phrasing rather than strict metronomic time.
• Approach the written solos as models for jazz articulation and inflection rather than classical repertoire; study how the melody sits rhythmically against the background parts before performing.
• Use the online audio to internalize the harmonic progression and ensemble sound, which will naturally build your ear for the jazz context even as you read the written notes.
• Pay attention to the pedagogical ordering within the book; each tune builds on concepts from earlier pieces, so working sequentially deepens your understanding of jazz voice leading and style.

Feature individual tunes as concert openers to establish a contemporary identity for your string orchestra, or dedicate a full section of a winter or spring concert to Jazz Philharmonic selections as a statement about musical breadth. The pedagogical progression makes it ideal for a semester-long focus where students gradually build confidence with style, phrasing, and ensemble listening simultaneously. You can also extract single arrangements as bridges between classical and contemporary sections in mixed-genre programs.

• Reading and performing jazz articulation and swing style
• Understanding jazz harmony and voice leading within string textures
• Listening to recorded accompaniments and locking into ensemble pulse
• Foundational improvisation concepts through immersion in jazz language (without requiring improvisation for performance)
• Phrasing and expression in a non-classical idiom
• Building confidence with contemporary string literature