Hi everyone

I'm 17 and looking into universities/conservatoires at the moment. I'm interested in doing the Jazz course. My teacher doesn't think I need to take a gap year to raise my standard. But a good jazz teacher I know says the ages of people in the Jazz courses are generally a bit older (21ish). He also thinks if he didn't take a gap year he wouldn't be where he is now. I'm not sure what to do. If I was to take a gap year, how should I approach it? What sort of things could I do?

Any ideas or feedback would be great!

Thanks

Grab a gap year if you can - your next chance might be retirement! Do as many varied things as you can, get as much experience as possible - different countries, different languages, different jobs and have all the fun that is going. It will be really valuable in whatever you do there after. Good luck and happy hunting.

Just back from the Birmingham conservatoire open day, which may be on your shopping list for a jazz BMus.

In the introductory session (i.e. non jazz), someone asked about taking a gap year. The answer was they felt it could be good thing in terms of making you more mature provided that you did not abandon your instrument completely for a year to go travelling around South America!

They also said they would expect you to re-audition. In other words, you couldn't audition this November and have a guaranteed place for September 2009. So, the first term of your gap year would probably be spent preparing for auditions.

My son faces the same gap year dilemma for different reasons. He's been offered a place on The Sage Weekend Scool from September but they want him to take a gap year. Their argument is that although he could well get in somewhere for 2008, an additional 15 months to prepare would give him a shot at the London colleges. He's not keen on another year living at home but would love the chance to study at somewhere like Guildhall.

Grrr, I do sympathise, these decisions are so difficult...

Trinity now offer a gap year programme. You can study for one or two semesters but it is expensive (about £5k from memory). You could also look at some of the summer schools - Berklee, for example. But again costly and wouldn't take up your whole gap year.

If you're ready, maybe apply this time and make a decision when you have the results of your application?

My son and two of his current band members are all off to London music colleges in September to do BMus Jazz - all straight from 6th form. One of the main things with all of them is that they are getting plenty of performing experience now, including writing their own material. The main colleges don't offer deferred places because it would be very easy to get a place then not do much playing for the gap year, and arrive a college a totally different player.

The advice I would give is go and have a few consultation lessons at colleges you are interested in - they'll give you an honest appraisal of your playing and whether or not they would be interested in you auditioning now. I know of a few who have been advised to take a gap year, work on specific aspects of their playing, and who have gone on to get their places.

As a flute teacher I have just started working with a girl who decided to audition for colleges in her gap year - she failed to get a place at any (6 auditions), and has come to me wanting help to re-audition in September - her 2nd gap year. I have had to be brutally honest and tell her she is not up to scratch and it's highly unlikely that she will get in this time around either. Basically she has been 'led up the garden path' by an inexperienced teacher and also does nowhere near enough work! She is set for a big re-think.
The best advice is from someone at one of the colleges, so go and have a lesson!

Thanks for all your input. After speaking to various people I think I will take a gap year. The problem I'm having is how to actually get experience. I know that is by getting gigs, but how do I go about getting them?

Any thoughts?

Are there any local 'jam' sessions, or jazz workshops that happen regularly. Ask your teacher if he /she knows any jazz teachers of other instruments who can put you in touch with pupils of a similar standard. Put adverts in local music shops asking for other young jazz musicians to come forward. My son got together with the other musicians in his band through a course run by the Bath Festival for 12-18 year olds. They've been together since October and have played at local jam sessions - it has led to loads of work offers, including Glastonbury Festival. They are now getting work lined up for the holidays to help stave off the student loans. Being a youngster interested in jazz can seem really lonely, but if you make an effort there are others with similar tastes out there!

As harmony says, sitting in on jam sessions in local jazz clubs and bars is a great way to get experience. Might be worth going along to one or two first to check out the standard - you don't want to find yourself out of your depth!

It's all about networking. Don't be afraid to talk to people. One of the best things about jazz is that players are so open to playing with/helping other musicians. If you look at established players, you'll find they play with a whole range of bands, including people they first met at college.

another way to meet musicians of your own age is through the county/regional youth big bands. auditions are taking place now in our area, so don't delay.

In the end, you'll want your own band and probably want to record a few tracks to put on myspace. it can really help convince promoters/venue owners to give you a gig if they haven't heard you play.

In the meanwhile, work on your repertoire. Standards became important in jazz as a way for musicians who didn't know each other to find a common language.

good luck

The term 'gap year' can mean different things. When I had a gap year, it meant doing something completely different: bumming around Europe, working in a factory, doing something you quite wanted to do, but had no relation to your studies. Basically it was a year where a teenager could experience 'the big wide world' and come back more mature and a bit wiser.

But if it's just for 'more practice' then you can do this anyway while in college, and gain work experience in the holidays. You can also have a gap year after college/university.

Some people in their 30-40s have gap years. They're called sabbaticals.

Steve

Thanks for all your ideas.

Looks like jam sessions are the best thing to do. I think confidence is a big thing (obviously you need confidence to perfrom as a musician). I have heard that some places can get people who may really slate you, but that's just a very small minority.

I think finding a comfortable place is quite improtant. As sticksville said, if the other people are amazing then it will be much more difficult than if you are of a similar ability. Does anyone know of an good jazz clubs in the south which are good for "inexperienced young jazz people?

Thanks