Yamaha Education News

Jazz Star Julian Joseph To Work With Teachers For Yamaha Jazz Experience Project

(Photo: International jazz pianist and broadcaster, Julian Joseph, encourages a student on her first attempt at jazz improvising)

International star jazz pianist, Julian Joseph, is helping music teachers working with 11-19s develop their own improvising skills, as part of the Yamaha Jazz Experience project. He joins top jazz educator Richard Michael to lead three workshops, in Hackney (21 Mar) and Birmingham (4 April) as part of the Yamaha Jazz Experience jazz improvisation project.

The Jazz Experience aims to support music teachers and community musicians with little or no experience in jazz improvisation, by providing a series of free 1-day improvisation workshops for them, led by some amazing British jazz giants and leading jazz educators, including Julian Joseph, Tim Garland, Andrea Vicari, Peter Ind, Richard Michael and Neil Cowley.

The workshop series began on 7th March with a superb workshop in Portsmouth. Teachers wanting to attend the remaining free workshops should contact Angela Whittington at Yamaha on 01908 369281 to reserve your place.

Workshop Dates:

Sat 7th March: Portsmouth City Girls' School (with Tim Garland & Andrea Vicari)
Sat 21st March: British Academy of New Music, Hackney, London (with Julian Joseph & Richard Michael)
Sat 4th April: Birmingham Conservatoire, Birmingham (with Julian Joseph & Richard Michael)
Fri 17th April: Chetham's School of Music, Manchester (with Andrea Vicari & Neil Cowley)
Sat 18th April: Leeds College of Music (with Andrea Vicari & Neil Cowley)
Sat 25 April: Chuter Ede Education Centre, South Shields (with Tim Garland & Richard Michael)
Thu 30th April: City Halls, Glasgow (with Richard Michael)

Jazz Ensemble Competition

Teachers who are relatively new to jazz improvisation are invited then to join our second phase of the Jazz Experience project. We invite you to prepare jazz improvisation ensembles starting in September 2009, with the 11-19s that you teach or coach, and enter our competition. Nine ensembles will be shortlisted in February 2010, and will be invited to attend our finalists' event, hosted by Cheltenham Jazz Festival in May 2010. The Jazz Experience judges will choose their three favourite ensembles, each of whom will receive Yamaha prizes for their schools as well as gigs at Ronnie Scott's and the 606 clubs in London.

Further information on the Yamaha Education Friends teachers' site and on our Jazz Experience MySpace site.

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(posted 24/03/08)