I'm seriously considering going on one of the 4-day Jazz starter courses next year. Now I've given up my church music responsibilites (or am in the process of giving them up, to be more precise) I can think about things like this which are on Sundays.

I need a bit of a confidence boost in areas like improvisation, and some ideas to use in my teaching.

Anyone else fancy the idea? The London course is on 11th Feb., 11th March, 13th and 20th May. There's also one in Manchester.

Unfortunately it's not offered for my instrument

And I don't play the piano well enough to look at that instead.

I'd absolutely love to, but transport and money issues are prohibitive

Hi, I've also signed up for the four day London course. But this isn't the starter course - that's just a single day. I did a weekend course with Charlie Beale at the Benslow Music Trust, and inspired by that I decided to do the four-day course in London. See you there!

I was quite tempted by it but thought the cost was a bit high. Have you seen the course offered at the City Lit in London run by Tim Richards? It is for piano + runs over 3 Sundays. It's a bit cheaper + I would highly recommend it - that is providing it is still available.

Andante
Did you sign up for the 4 day course?
I was thinking about the Manchester course but the cost put me off a little bit - although if you sign up before 30th November you get a discount.
Also I teach clarinet as well as flute and have started some saxophone teaching too - although the flute is my first instrument (along with recorder). I haven't decided which instrument I should choose to centre on - clarinet seemed a more obvious choice to flute...

I've been wondering for some time about getting into piano jazz, but unfortunately am not free on Sundays, and not likely to be.

I wouldn't do more than the occasional Sunday (and that would be with considerable thought about the importance of the event ) even if I didn't have the responsibility of playing in church.

Distance is a problem for me ....... I'd often thought about going on the one week residential in Benslow(?) during the summer holidays but unfortunately every summer events seem to overtake me.........

I went on the Tim Richards one last year and I got practically nothing out of it. He does not run the course in a sympathetic way, people felt put on teh spot constantly. He also tried to go through so much material that he did nothing in depth and we were left not really understanding anything. Wouldn't recommend it at all.

Well, I finally made my decision and posted the form last night, so that I qualify for the discounted rate.

See you there, Horatio!

Just heard that the London course has been full for ages, so I haven't got a place. There are a few places on the Manchester course, but it's too far to go for four different days.

Shame. Maybe next year.