music — Summer School - Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

JazzMusic — Summer SchoolThis five-day summer school aims toinspire jazz musicians focusing on groupperformance, whilst offering specificinstrumental guidance on key elementsof improvisation.Students will gain experience playingin ensemble settings as well as get theopportunity to record as a group in afully equipped recording studio.This summer school is designed andsupported by internationally renownedteachers and performers all of whomhave significant professional reputationsas both educators and recording artists.Who is the course for?This summer school is suitable for jazzmusicians aged 17 and over who arecurrently studying at conservatoirelevel or are considering studying at aconservatoire.It will also provide opportunities forexperienced students, professionalsor advanced amateurs to study andrefine repertoire in preparation for gigs,auditions or for personal development.This course will primarily benefit thosewho can already improvise to somedegree and play jazz with confidencebut are looking to take this developmentopportunity to perform to the next level.This course will also favour those withsome experience of group and ensembleplaying in live settings and a reasonableunderstanding of jazz chords, scales,harmony and repertoire.Entry RequirementsApplicants to this summer school mustbe able to:• tune their instruments and determinewhether their intonation is flator sharp in relation to the otherinstruments in the ensemble and beable to adapt and blend in• play a two-octave range on theirinstrument• play all 12 major, melodic andharmonic minor scales• play all 12 modes of dorian,mixolydian and lydian• read music well enough to performa new piece of medium difficultywithin 24 hours• read and improvise over chordsymbols from the Real Book• have a reasonable understanding ofjazz rhythm• improvise on a blues in F & BbAll students are asked to submit arecording for consideration by theCourse Leader. Please see the RoyalConservatoire’s website for furtherdetails.rcs.ac.uk/shortcourses

JAZZVenue, Date, CostRoyal Conservatoire of Scotland100 Renfrew StreetGlasgow, G2 3DB28 July – 1 August 2014Monday – Friday, 10am – 6pm£490Course OutlineDuring this intensive course you will:• gain a deeper understanding ofthe fundamentals of improvisationincluding jazz scales, harmony andrhythms• learn how to improvise morecreatively and fluently, utilisingconcepts of thematic developmentand collective ensemble interplay• learn how to practice more efficientlytowards a goal of becoming aconfident and fluent improviser• become more familiar with specificjazz repertoire• perform during an informal concertwhere the focus will be on ensembleplaying and improvisationThe specialist focus on improvisationand ensemble experience will offer youa chance to gain intensive amounts ofjazz ensemble playing practice whilstbeing offered professional guidanceand support in the improvisation andtechniques that are unique to jazz.Your time on this course will mainly bespent playing in groups comprised ofother summer school students.These new jazz ensembles will benefitfrom playing support throughout insmall, interactive masterclass settings.Students will work on original andclassic jazz repertoire which will bepresented at the end of the course inan informal concert featuring each jazzensemble performing.course LEADERProfessor Tommy SmithSaxophonist Tommy Smith has workedat the highest level of jazz since hejoined vibes master Gary Burton’sband at the age of 18 in 1985. Bornin Edinburgh, Smith made an earlyimpression on the Scottish jazz scene,winning best soloist and best grouptitles at the Edinburgh Jazz Festival, aged14, and recording his first album, GiantStrides, at 15. Tommy then studied atBerklee College of Music before going onto tour the world and record the WhizKids album with GaryBurton on ECMRecords. Smith signed to Blue Note in1989, recording with John Scofield andJack DeJohnette, and having formedhis own label, Spartacus, he has nowreleased 24 solo albums including hislatest, KARMA.The list of star names Tommy hasfeatured alongside includes ChickCorea, Jaco Pastorius, NHØP, TrilokGurtu, Kenny Barron, Benny Golson,Dizzy Gillespie and Norwegian bassistArild Andersen, with whose trio hehas recorded for ECM and touredthroughout the world.As well as working in chamber andsymphonic music as both a composerand featured soloist, he is thefounder and artistic director of theinternationally acclaimed ScottishNational Jazz Orchestra, which releasedits third album, Celebration, on ECMin 2012, and directs his own Youth JazzOrchestra to foster and channel the flowof young jazz talent in Scotland.Tommy has also presented televisionand radio programmes for the BBC andChannel Four and the many awardsand decorations that his work in jazzhas attracted include the 3 British JazzAwards (1989, 1996 & 2002), BBC Heartof Jazz Award (2008), the Scottish JazzExpo Award (2009), Lord Provost MusicAward (2009), 6 Scottish Jazz Awardsfor Woodwind (2009), Educator (2011,2012), Album ‘KARMA’ (2012) and BigBand (2009, 2011), a professorship fromthe Royal Conservatoire of Scotland(2010) and honorary doctorates fromHeriot- Watt, Glasgow Caledonian andEdinburgh Universities.A tireless advocate for jazz education,Smith conceived the curriculum andleads the jazz course at the RoyalConservatoire of Scotland.Preparing foryour courseStudents should dress informally andcomfortably for ensemble playing andlessons.Please bring blank manuscript paper,pens and pencils for writing examples aswell as any expendable items relative toyour instrument, i.e. reeds for saxophoneplayers, drum sticks for drummers, sparestrings for guitarists, etc.For the final summer school concert,please bring smart/ casual attire inwhich you will perform.Book your placeAll short courses can be booked onlineat www.rcs.ac.uk/shortcourses. Pleaseselect the course you wish to book andfollow the instructions to confirm andpay for your course online.If you wish to speak to a member of theShort Courses team, please get in touch at:E: shortcourses@rcs.ac.ukT: 0141 270 8213rcs.ac.uk/shortcourses