The Randolph-Macon Jazz Improvisation Laboratory is an innovative chamber jazz ensemble created to teach the expressive art of jazz improvisation. The Jazz Improv Lab takes aspects of various jazz ensemble structures, namely big bands, jazz combos, and other professional or curricular ensembles, combining them with exploratory improvisation exercises to create a hybrid learning-performing environment. This structure creates an experiential learning opportunity for musicians to experiment with various improvisatory techniques.

The R-MC Jazz Improv Lab is open to any instrumental musician on campus regardless of previous jazz experience, opening it up to additional musicians that did not fit in the Chamber Orchestra. In fact, most musicians in this inaugural ensemble arrived with no jazz improvisation experience prior to enrolling in the class.
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Tonight’s performance marks the first official debut of the Randolph-Macon Jazz Improvisation Laboratory.

The Randolph-Macon Ensemble is the first official curricular instrumental musical ensemble in the storied history of Randolph-Macon College. While technically classified a “chamber orchestra,” this flexible-instrumentation group will at times exhibit the characteristics of an orchestra and at others a band, but is actually neither… and both! This innovative ensemble is dedicated to creatively exploring historic and cutting-edge music of all genres, actively creating the future of music at Randolph-Macon College.

Musicians in the R-M Ensemble explore their creative musicianship through large- and small-group music-making. Each musician is part of one or more small, student-led chamber groups where collaboration, active leadership, and musicianship are not only encouraged but completely necessary for successful performance. With its unique instrumentation, the R-M Ensemble often requires customized works for performance, many of which have been provided through the creativity of student and faculty transcriptions and compositions. Many works on this concert program were created with the assistance of a 2019 Randolph-Macon Walter Williams Craigie Grant awarded to Dr. Coffill to support his customized, flexible-instrumentation transcription projects.

The R-M Ensemble began its musical life with a flash-mob performance of Terry Riley’s In C in October of 2018 and its first official concert in March of 2019. In one short year, the R-M Ensemble has already become an active part of the local and national musical conversation. The R-M Ensemble is funded in part by a major grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

...create the future