Let's Teach Jazz: taster days
Teaching jazz provides a fresh challenge for many teachers, but classically trained musicians often lack confidence when exploring and teaching jazz concepts.
Our highly popular and successful taster days are enjoyable and accessible introductions to jazz for piano, woodwind and brass teachers. They are designed specifically for teachers with little or no prior experience in this area.
If you like the taster day, you can then sign up for our four-day Introductory and Intermediate Jazz Courses.
What will I learn on the day?
Our presenters will help you discover how easy and enjoyable it can be to improvise, and will also introduce the basic rhythmic concepts of jazz. You’ll also learn how to teach your first jazz tune, and how to incorporate ABRSM jazz publications in your teaching. This is a practical workshop so you will need to bring your instrument along (except pianists).
What are the benefits for me?
A taster day can help both you and your students. You’ll expand your teaching and performing repertoire, develop musicianship skills through improvisation and discover new ways to inject fun and variety into your lessons. By experiencing how easy jazz can be, you’ll start to gain in confidence when teaching jazz to your students.
Presenters
Malcolm Edmonstone, born in Scotland, studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and in his third year was asked to tour with the late singing legend Marion Montgomery. He is a pianist and arranger and teaches at Middlesex University and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Nick Smart studied music at Salford University and the Guildhall School of Music before quickly establishing himself as a busy jazz trumpeter and educator. Nick has released a number of jazz albums to critical acclaim as well as successfully setting up successful school jazz projects in Bedfordshire and Camden.
Richard Michael is one of Scotland’s most versatile musicians, specialising in improvisation in all genres. He studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and has influenced a generation of teachers and students with his innovative methods of teaching improvisation. Richard is a successful author and composer on jazz, an active workshop leader both in the UK and abroad and continues to work as an ABRSM jazz examiner.
Tim Richards has enjoyed a successful career as an award winning jazz pianist, composer and band leader. Alongside his performing and composing activities, Tim is a dedicated educator. As well as his private teaching, he has taught jazz piano, blues piano and improvisation evening classes at London’s Goldsmiths and Morley Colleges. Tim is an active ABRSM jazz examiner and has a number of his original pieces selected on the jazz graded exams syllabus.
2009 venues and dates
| Date | Venue |
|---|---|
| Saturday 10 October | London 24 Portland Place |
| Sunday 18 October | London 24 Portland Place |
| Sunday 1 November | Sheffield Bannerdale Centre |
| Sunday 15 November | Leeds Leeds Grammar School |
| Sunday 29 November | Swindon Swindon Music Service |
Cost
£55 (includes refreshments and a light lunch).
Participation in a jazz taster day qualifies you for a £45 discount on the Introductory Jazz Course fee (if booked before 30 November 2009).
Booking and contact details
| T | +44 (0)20 7467 8226 |
|---|---|
| E | Send Penny an email |