Flute lessons are available on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Lessons cost $40/half hour and $78/hour.
Students of all ages and standards are welcome. Jazz Workshop caters to students who want to learn to play jazz or who are looking for an alternative to traditional exam-based teaching methods. We have two flute teachers to choose from: Gai Bryant, who is a dual instrumentalist (meaning she specialises in flute and saxophone), and Matt Ottignon who is a sax player who “doubles” on flute.
Gai Bryant, B.Mus.
Gai arrived in Sydney after graduating from the University of Adelaide where she studied Jazz Performance. She has worked with Carl Orr, Mark Simmonds, Paul McNamara, Sandy Evans, Jackie Orzaczky, Jann Rutherford, Lloyd Swanton, Janet Seidel, Don Burrows and Roger Frampton and others.
In 1996/7 she studied with soprano saxophonist and composer, Jane Ira Bloom in New York. Upon her return to Sydney she formed the Gai Bryant Quartet. From 1997-2000 the Quartet toured throughout Australia, Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan performing concerts and conducting workshops. In October and November 1999 the Quartet completed a series of live performances with poets in Hyde Park as part of a vision to access Sydney’s open spaces for small acoustic and cross-art form performances.
Early 2000 Gai studied Taegum at the National Korean Performing Arts Centre in Seoul with WON Hyang-Juan, master of traditional Korean music. In September the Quartet toured Korea with WON Hyang-Juan and his family performing compositions by Gai and Won Hyang-Juan for a combined ensemble at the Korean Performing Arts Centre, Seoul. The combined ensemble toured Australia performing and giving workshops at the Brisbane Festival, Sydney?s Carnivale, the Opera House Studio, ABC and SBS radio programs as well as recording for the University of Western Sydney contemporary music program.
Gai attended Lake Placid Institute?s advanced composition and improvisation seminar in 2001 where she was tutored by jazz greats Jim McNeely and Joe Lovano. In October/November 2002 Gai’s large ensemble performed with Jim McNeely at the Sydney Opera House Studio and Wangaratta Festival playing Jim’s compositions and arrangements for tentet. During 2003 she sought out Jim McNeely and Mike Gibbs to delve further into composition and arranging via lessons and correspondence. In 2005 Gai composed and recorded the soundtrack for previously unseen Frank Hurley footage of SS Aurora 1911-13 expedition to the Antarctic, which screened at Longest Night Film Festival. In July performed with Arkadiy Figlin Trio at the Pori Jazz Festival, Finland and mentored the Sisters in Jazz ensemble through her original compositions/arrangements for the IAJE. In September she performed with Swedish musicians for an Australian design presentation. 2007 Gai collaborated with the Tiwi Womens Choir to create some jazz-based arrangements for tiwi song forms. In 2008 she was artist-in-residence in Armidale and reunited with Jim McNeely and Spare Parts Big Band to present Jim’s music on a short tour of Australia.
Her commissions include works for the Seymour New Music Group, Bernie McGann Trio, Liverpool Council, National Archives and the Sydney Spring Festival. She has released three albums as a bandleader. Quartet albums, High Jinx (1998) and Music(2002) and large ensemble album Two Degrees East (2005).
Matthew Ottignon, B.Mus Hons (Jazz)
Matt Ottignon can also teach flute, but more from the point of view of a sax “doubler”. This is fine for a sax player who wants to learn how to double on flute, and maybe in combination with sax at the same time. If you want to specialise in flute or play at a high level, then Gai Bryant is a better choice.
Matthew Ottignon was born in London, grew up in New Zealand, and graduated at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with first class Honours. He has been performing since the age of 13 and plays the tenor alto and soprano saxes as well as flute and clarinet. He has been part of the Sydney jazz secene for many years now, adding his individual tenor sound to many outifits. Some of the musicians Matthew has performed with are Lou Reed, Mike Nock, Jackie Orszackzy, James Morrison, John Pochee and Phil Slater. Matthew can be seen performing in trio Informal Troupe, Java Quartet, Exotica, the Space Cadets, the Splinter Orchestra, the Hipstones, Monseiur Camembert, and Mucho Mambo.