piano lessons at JWA
Piano and keyboard lessons are available in thirty minute and one hour slots Monday to Thursday. Lessons cost from $41/half hour or $80/hour for weekly lessons, paid in advance.
Students of all ages and standards are welcome. Jazz Workshop caters particularly to students who want to learn to play jazz or who are looking for an alternative to traditional exam-based teaching methods. Piano students can sit for the JWA Jazz Exams.
We have two piano teachers on our faculty, Gavin Ahearn and Nick Southcott:
Gavin Ahearn
“a beautiful, lyrical pianist… eking out the deeply affecting & truly extraordinary” -Australian Stage.
Gavin Ahearn is a pianist, composer, arranger and producer. He has performed/recorded with a variety of Australia’s leading artists including Neilsen Gough, Bri Cowlishaw, Liam Burroughs, Danni Da Ros, Adrian Mears, Toby Hall Band, Bob Henderson, Ed Wilson Big Band, Sussurro (Brazilian band), Normie Rowe, Dylan Foster (Singapore), Synergy Percussion and many more.
Gavin led his own U.S. based ensemble for 7 years which featured New York musicians Mike Dopazo and Christian Coleman plus Atlanta bassist Chris Riggenbach. The quartet recorded Gavin’s debut album in New York, Flight of the Arctic Tern, which received distribution in the U.S. and Japan. Gavin has performed in venues around the world from Mo I Rana near the arctic circle in Norway through Europe and the US to venues in South East Asia.
Gavin is also involved in music production and film/tv scoring with his compositions being used in a number of TVC’s and short films. Gavin is also on the faculty at The Australian International Conservatorium as well as The Jazz Workshop.
Gavin is a wonderful piano teacher comfortable teaching everyone from young beginners to advanced adults. He is happy to help prepare students for HSC and school performances.
Nick Southcott, B.Mus
Nick Southcott is a well respected-pianist and very experienced teacher who has had a long involvement with the successful jazz orogram at the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music. He is also a terrific accompanist. Nick is at home teaching jazz and classical repertoire to students of all ages and levels. As well as teaching, Nick is a leading professional jazz pianist with a busy performing schedule.
Nick is a versatile musician, in demand across the jazz, latin, and funk/soul fields. His rare blend of groove and swing, complemented by a love of latin music, has led him to develop a unique sound that sits comfortably backing a solo vocalist, swinging hard in a trio, or working with an 18 piece Big Band.
He is a past winner of the Musicoz awards (2001, Jazz section) and has worked with the likes of Emma Pask, John Morrison’s Swing City, Club Havana, Latin big band Mucho Mambo, (with James Morrison and Monica Trapaga)and toured the north of Australia for Musica Viva. He also held a residency at the Tokyo Hilton, St Georges Bar (June-Dec 2004). Nick has studied with some of the greats of Australian jazz including Judy Bailey, Mike Nock, Paul MacNamara and the late great Roger Frampton, and classical piano with Elisabeth Green and Ransford Elsley.
Nick is available for lessons at JWA on Thursdays.
Jazz Improvisation
All of the teachers at the Jazz Workshop can give lessons in jazz improvisation to any student, regardless of their instrument. Saul Richardson specialises in teaching improvisation to beginners and young players. Other JWA teachers, such as Jeremy Borthwick, Gai Bryant and James Ryan love to teach very advanced concepts.
So, whatever instrument you or your child play, one of our teachers can give lessons in jazz improvisation. Lessons can be either ongoing, occasional, or a short series. Call or email for details