Improvisation Resources from The Full Pitcher

Improvisation With
The Full Pitcher Music Resources

The Resources
Some thoughts on improvisation in classical music
Just think, in the beginning, all music must have been improvised! ........

The Full Pitcher Approach
Part of the The Full Pitcher's company mission (About Us) is to promote creative music-making; to facilitate partnership between composer and amateur musician. For this reason, many of our publications invite creative interaction. These are complete works and can be performed exactly as written, in the same way that most of us perform Mozart sticking to the score (which is not what a contemporary performer would have done!) However, these pieces are not over-composed and there is scope for performers to add their own ideas. Some provide ideas for improvising an entirely new piece, using the original as a kind of template.

Technically, the pieces are fairly undemanding and, when improvising, players can work at their own level. This makes these resources ideal for the instrumental studio, where teachers can use them as a framework for creative exploration with a wide range of pupils. Many teachers who would like to introduce improvisation are discouraged when they can find resources only in the, for them, unfamiliar idiom of jazz. In an attempt to meet their needs, we have started our collection with more classical repertoire.

Many of the folk songs/dances are flexibly scored and suitable for ad-hoc arrangement and experimentation.

Below is an index of titles which may be of particular interest to would-be improvisers, with links to help you locate them. Use the 'Back' button on your browser to return here.

Improvisation Resources: Software (CD ROM)

GridPlay Level 1

GridPlay Level 2

Improvisation Resources: Mail Order

Flute Improvisation
Woods In Spring - Flute (C instruments) & Piano

An Alpine Songbook - Flute (C instruments) & Piano

A Little Trio for Emily - Flute (C instruments) & Piano

Merrily I Play Along - Improvisation for Flute Beginners

Clarinet improvisation
Woods In Spring - Clarinet (Bb instruments) & Piano

An Alpine Songbook - Clarinet (Bb instruments) & Piano

A Little Trio for Emily - Clarinet (Bb instruments) & Piano

Merrily I Play Along - Improvisation for Clarinet Beginners

Violin Improvisation
A Little Trio for Emily - String Trio

Improvisation Resources: E-Publications

Get Creative L2 / Carnival of Venice (pdf)

Get Creative L2 / Portsmouth (pdf)

Get Creative L2 / Minuet II (pdf)

Get Creative L2 / German Dance (pdf)

For use in conjunction with our Classroom ensembles.

Improvisation Resources: E-Publications

Classroom Ensembles Series

Simply Carols Series

Morning Has Broken - Ensemble

Parnatanc -Ensemble

Parnatanc - Flute & Piano

Veteran's Dance

Spring (Vivaldi)

Improvisation Resources: Web Pages

Kids' Pages

Some Class Projects

Ideas for improvisation and composition in the classroom will also be found in the miscellaneous resources for classroom teachers, in the Classroom section.