Pop Ensemble is a collaborative performance course focused on developing the skills required to perform contemporary groove-based and commercial music using lead sheets, chord charts, and shared listening practices rather than fixed arrangements. Open to instrumentalists and vocalists, students explore a range of styles drawn from popular music traditions as well as related genres, including elements of jazz and global popular styles (e.g., Brazilian and Latininfluenced repertoire), with particular attention to harmonic notation practices across these traditions.
Students build fluency in groove-based playing, improvisation, stylistic interpretation, and ensemble communication across varied instrumentations. Instruction includes coached rehearsals, workshops, community performances, and a culminating concert.