Hi,

I wonder if the Royal School of Music set up scheme to train people to be jazz teachers. Now it seems that there are no set criteria for being a jazz teacher, and anyone who claims they can teach jazz piano can have a go. I heard that the Royal School of Music will organise workshops for jazz teacher and teacher-to-be to attend within UK. What about other countries that have the exam?

I don't think there are many real jazz experts around, but surely, there are plenty of "amateurs" that can play jazz to entertian others, as well as themselves. Jazz education is not so systematic as piano education, which you can find loads of teachers' names on the phone book. How can we choose a good teacher? And how can we become one?

As a saxophonist and pianist who plays both classical and jazz music may I say that I have experienced many prejudices and from both sides. There are jazz musicians who "look down" on strong readers (and who almost hold classical musicians in contempt for being "stuck to the page" and there are classical musicians who (possibly through jealousy) denigrate improvising of any sort.

I have some students who have had "jazz specialists" teaching them before they come to me and without exception there has been no attention to scales or the theory behind jazz.

I also inherited some "classical" musicians who froze stiff at the thought of improvising.

The ABRSM jazz syllabus IMHO bridges these gaps - if you are seeking a teacher of jazz just give him the "simple" test of explaining the merit of the scales syllabus. S/he may be the best player in the area but if he is unable to explain the theory behind his playing then you will be stuck and will have to work it out for yourself.

The jazz purist may of course argue that that is exactly what you should do! Many of the greatest jazz musicians could hardly read and certainly wouldn't be able to tell you that they were just playing a Lydian mode, but then how many classical musicians improvise their own cadenzas these days?

I'd have to agree with Oliver, i think the point of the ABRSM jazz syllabus is to make jazz accessible to the lay person and hopefully help students get a basic mastery of the principles behind what would otherwise be a craft of the elite few.