Czech Piano Literature Influenced by Jazz and its Application to Art School

Resumé This work deals with Czech piano literature influenced by jazz music and its application in music schools. In the first part we cover jazz music from the point of view of history and music theory. We discuss the development of jazz music in the Czech Republic and we introduce three significant composers influenced by jazz music - Bohuslav Martinů, Ervín Schulhoff and Jaroslav Ježek. Next, main features of jazz music are described, such as off-beat, syncopation, jazz phrasing or improvisation. We focus on the role of the piano in jazz music and on the basic jazz piano styles. The second part of this work deals with jazz music from the point of view of didactics and practice. We discuss the significance of jazz music and dispositions to jazz interpretation and improvisation. Then we present a methodical outline for teaching selected jazz elements - this collection contains exercises and tasks based on jazz rhythm, chord play and jazz improvisation. At the end, topics such as jazz in Czech schools and Czech jazz literature for piano are covered. The goal of this paper is to offer a complex view on the area of jazz music. Further, we hope that the outline of exercises help students in music schools to learn jazz step by step. Through the interview method we obtained valuable information from four Czech..