Clinics
Joshua has taught the following clinics for a variety of experience levels and ages:
Making YOUR Music
This presentation is designed for musicians and 'non-musicians'
(-though these barely exist) who are motivated to build music with
software or typical instruments, or in combination. Presentation format
is a laptop with the desktop image projected on screen, a stereo
hook-up, Garageband (software), a bassist (me), a lecturer (me), and a
composer/programmer (me again). Hip-hop and Pop grooves are dissected
and rebuilt with each component explained and presented in raw form and
in variation. Ojectives include deepening listening appreciation and
inspiring composition initiative. The presentation is 45-60 minutes
long. Middle and high school classrooms and assemblies are the most common venues.
Rhythm Section Grooves
Rhythm sections are coached on stylistic interpretation of swing, rock, funk, pop, samba, bossa, Afro-Cuban, and/or combined contemporary grooves.
Musical Conversations: Rhythm Section How To (hands on)
This clinic coaches development of musical communication among members of the rhythm section.
1) By ear, teach several two bar standard rhythmic phrases
2) Game the phrases back and forth between students
3) Coach a few variations of the original phrases
4) Show expansion of 2 bar phrases to 4 bar phrases via variation
Musical Conversations: Rhythm Interplay How To for all Musicians
This clinic coaches development of musical communication among members of a band. It may be centered around a soloists role in communication, or it may be inclusive of the rhythm section players as well.
Improvisation for Beginners
Utilizing transcribed improvisation techniques of Vardan Ovsepian, Sarah Vaughan, Clark Terry, and Louis Armstrong, Joshua guides participants through simple melodic motifs, methods of acquisition, practice, and development.
Pdf samples are available at joshuadavis.org.
Improvisation for Strings
Joshua instituted the first of such offerings at the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival two years ago. The workshop reshapes passages from standard orchestral and solo works, and guides a step by step de/reconstruction that eventually results in numerous improvised parameters.
Odd Meter Performance Skills: Beginning (for all instruments)
1) Common ostinato accompaniment figures for 5/4
2) Popular pieces recomposed to fit 5/4
3) Modern ostinato accompaniment figures for 5/4
Odd Meter Performance Skills: Intermediate (for all instruments)
1) Common ostinato accompaniment figures for 7/4
2) Popular pieces recomposed to fit 7/4
3) Modern ostinato accompaniment figures for 7/4
4) Transitions from 3/4 to 4/4 to 5/4 to 7/4
Odd Meter Performance Skills: Advanced (for all instruments)
1) Common ostinato accompaniment figures for 5/8, 7/8, 11/8, 13/8
2) Popular pieces recomposed to fit 5/8, 7/8, 11/8, 13/8
3) Modern ostinato accompaniment figures for 5/8, 7/8, 11/8, 13/8
Listening to Music (basic points of appreciation)
1) Instrumentation (who’s playing and their palette of available sounds)
2) Working together (how band member’s parts unify and yield a performance)
Orchestral Double Bass Technique for the Jazz Bassist
-see pdf samples under Bass Method at joshuadavis.org
Bass Masterclass
Students play for coaching and critique.
Ensemble Masterclass
Ensembles ranging from small jazz groups to big bands play for coaching and critique.
Joshua has taught performance skills clinics at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Koyo Conservatory in Kobe, Japan, the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival in Alaska, and various grades of elementary and secondary schools throughout the United States.