We offer saxophone lessons for all types of student: beginners, children, adults, those preparing for university auditions, HSC, and so on.
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.
Saxophone lessons are available from Monday to Saturday. Lessons cost $40/ half hour or $78/ hour paid in advance. We have four teachers to choose from. We can advise you on who would be most suitable for you or your child:
Matthew Ottignon, B.Mus Hons (Jazz)
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.
“Ottignon’s saxophone, meanwhile, can cry sadly, compound itself with digital loops or fill the foreground with a classic tenor sound that’s as wide as a double-frontage terrace.” John Shand, SMH 2007
Richard Savery, B.Mus.
Richard Savery is recognised as one of Australia’s finest young baritone saxophonists and bass clarinetists. He plays and teaches all the saxophones and clarinet, but his specialty is in bari sax and bass clarinet.
He is also an accomplished educator and a composer/arranger, performing and composing in a diverse range of styles and contexts.
Richard has performed in many different settings in venues all around Sydney from the Sydney Opera House, to the Basement, to the Metro Theatre to 505. He has toured the UK, USA, Canada and the Caribbean Islands, and has also recorded his own CD with John Morrison, Matt Baker and John Conley. He has studied with Gary Smulyan, Donny McCaslin, Michael Lowernstern, Dr Gene Aitken, Bill Motzing, David Baker, Bob Mintzer and Dale Barlow.
Richard has performed with artists including Hank Roberts, Jeff Parker, Darcy James Argue, Alan Cumming, Lance Horne (Emmy Award winner 2008), Phil Stack (bass), Amanda Palmer (Dresden Dolls), Bob Downe, Meow Meow, James Waples, and many others.
He has composed for a range of formats, from short films (LUST, 2009) and computer games (Time Loss), to big bands (as a regular composer for the Jazz Workshop Australia Big Band). Richard currently leads the Richard Savery Quintet and Richard Savery’s L.I.E – an 8 part ensemble playing entirely original music. In June 2010 Richard was commissioned by acclaimed Avant Garde composer Giorgio Magnanesi to compose Piece for Toy Guitar to celebrate Magnanesi’s 50th birthday.
In 2010 Richard was accepted into the prestigious Banff International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Work led by Dave Douglas. For this he was awarded a scholarship by the Opera and Arts Support Group.
He is a member of the Marianna Ensemble (www.okunevmusic.com/marianna-ensemble) with whom he has performed on ABC’s national radio program Sunday Live, Artsong NSW, Venue 505, and Qirkz, among many other venues. For more information visit Richard’s website at www.richardsavery.com
“a strong concept and a developed sense of lyricism; Nice sound!” Gary Smulyan.
Peter Farrar, B.Mus.
Peter Farrar is a graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with a degree in Jazz Performance.
He has wide experience in performance from mainstream settings through to cutting-edge contemporary improvised music. He is known for his combination of dazzling technique and sublime tone, and is one of Australia’s most respected young saxophonists.
Peter has a passionate interest in teaching, to which he brings a unique, but effective, improvisation-based approach. He has experience not only as a private teacher, but also tutoring outstanding student ensembles and coordinating exciting mentoring projects for younger musicians.
Peter has performed with leading Australian and international artists including Mike Nock, Dale Gorfinkel, Jim Denley, Amanda Stewart, Wadada Leo Smith and Cor Fuhler. He also works with such groups as Splinter Orchestra, 8-ball, Dave Panichi Septet and Farfinkel Pugowski
Peter Farrar on alto nearly stole the show with his solo on “Lieb”. He has a tone reminiscent of Ornette Coleman and an expeditious array of ideas. Peter Wockner, Jazz and Beyond 2006.
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).