JWA Summer Jazz Camp 3-7 January 2027
Sydney Academy of Sport & Recreation, Narrabeen.
A five-day residential music camp for young jazz musicians aged 10–19, welcoming players and singers at all levels of jazz experience.
No previous jazz experience is required, but campers should already play an instrument or sing.
About Jazz Camp | Who is Jazz Camp for? | Teaching Faculty | Evening Concerts | Camp Program | Prices & Payment | Registration | Accommodation & Supervision | Getting There | Contact
Jazz Camp highlights
- Learn jazz by playing in real bands.
- Level up your improvising & ensemble skills.
- Meet like-minded peers – be part of a welcoming, vibrant community of keen young musicians & professional tutors.
- Work with a hand-picked team of professional musicians and expert jazz educators.
- Be inspired by nightly professional concerts.
- Immerse yourself in five days and four nights of rehearsals, jams, performances, listening and music-making.
John Morrison, Jazz Camp musical director
Dr Saul Richardson, Jazz Camp director
About Jazz Camp
For over 40 years Jazz Camp has inspired young musicians through immersion and teaching. It is for instrumentalists and vocalists, from musicians new to jazz through to advanced players and emerging professionals.
Throughout its history, hundreds of Jazz Camp alumni have gone on to professional careers as musicians and educators. Many others have continued to play and enjoy jazz. Jazz Camp is equally serious about both: it is a place for young musicians who may be heading towards a career, and for those for whom jazz might remain an important part of life.
Jazz Camp is based around building knowledge, skills, and agency in a welcoming, encouraging environment. The teaching faculty is led by Jazz Workshop Australia principal Dr Saul Richardson and Jazz Camp musical director John Morrison. The teachers are supported by an experienced team of camp counsellors who supervise and look after the campers.
Alumni of Jazz Camp include many leading Australian jazz musicians. The camp was originally known as the Pan Pacific Jazz and Big Band Camp and later the IAJE Australia Jazz Camp. Today it continues as the JWA Jazz Camp, carrying on a tradition of bringing young jazz musicians together that stretches back more than four decades.
Who is Jazz Camp for?
Jazz Camp is for young musicians aged 10–19 who already have some experience playing an instrument or singing. No previous jazz experience is required. As a general guide, we suggest at least two to three years’ experience, approximately Grade 3 level, or enough experience to play comfortably in a school band or similar ensemble.
The camp is open to all instruments and voice, including strings. The focus of the week is jazz, so it is best suited to young musicians who are interested in jazz or keen to explore it.
We carefully place musicians in groups appropriate to their age, playing level, and improvising experience. Teaching is adapted to different levels, providing a concrete and enjoyable introduction for newer jazz players, continued development for intermediate musicians, and the kinds of challenge and extension advanced players need.
Campers come from across Australia and sometimes from overseas. Everyone spends time with musicians of a similar age and level, as well as in mixed groups and whole-camp activities. Jazz Camp is large enough for campers to find their own peer group, without being stuck with the same small group for the whole week. Older campers and staff are very supportive of younger students, and the atmosphere is welcoming and friendly.
Teaching Faculty
The Summer Jazz Camp teaching faculty is led by Jazz Workshop Australia principal Dr Saul Richardson and Jazz Camp musical director John Morrison. Jazz Camp teachers are chosen for both their teaching ability and their experience as high-level professional musicians. Great players are not automatically great teachers, so we look for people who can do both.
Confirmed teaching faculty for Jazz Camp 2027:
- John Morrison – drums, Jazz Camp Musical Director
- Dr Saul Richardson – ensembles, guitar, JWA principal
- Libor Smoldas – guitar, international guest teacher (Czechia)
- Tony Barnard – guitar
- Jack Stoneham – saxophone and woodwinds
- Des Cannings – trombone and low brass
- Eric Dunan – trumpet
Additional teaching faculty will be announced as they are confirmed.
Evening Concerts
Nightly concerts by professional jazz musicians are an important part of Summer Jazz Camp. The concert program is deliberately varied, giving campers the chance to hear different styles of jazz, from small groups to larger ensembles, and to meet the musicians who perform and hear them talk about their music.
Listening to jazz is an essential part of learning how to play it. So much of jazz happens beyond the written music that it must be heard to be understood. Live performance adds further levels of interaction, stagecraft, energy, and sheer excitement that even recordings cannot fully capture.
Recent Jazz Camp concert artists and ensembles have included James Morrison Quartet, Peter Farrar & Ellen Kirkwood’s Truffle Boils, Arcing Wires, Emma Pask, The Strides, Sandy Evans Trio, Mambo Brown Trio, Bob Montgomery Quintet, Eamon Dilworth’s Crawfish Po’ Boys, The Vampires, Mucho Mambo, Simon Ashton’s RAMBO, and the Jazz Camp faculty band.
Evening concerts are private camp events for registered campers and staff only. Parents, family members and members of the public cannot attend. This helps us maintain appropriate child-safety arrangements and the relaxed, student-centred atmosphere of Jazz Camp.
Camp Program
Most of each day at Summer Jazz Camp is spent making music. The program includes playing in jazz combos and big bands, developing improvisation skills, instrumental and vocal masterclasses, and jam sessions. As well as this, everyone has daily opportunities to perform in student concerts. Each day begins with a whole-camp session, which might include a talk, rhythm activity, group challenge, or something completely different. If the schedule permits, sometimes there are also optional electives and other special sessions.
Of course, there is also free time to relax, have quiet time away from music, socialise, get some fresh air, or whatever. Lots of the campers are usually keen to keep playing music during breaks, which is fine too.
Jazz Camp Festival
The camp ends with a festival where all the campers perform in their combos & big bands to showcase their work at the camp. It is spread over three or four stages. Parents, family, & guests are welcome to the festival. The festival is on-site on the final day of camp, usually starting around lunchtime or mid-afternoon. The exact time is confirmed closer to the event.
Prices & Payment Options
Regular Late booking
General $1600 $1700
Current JWA students $1450 $1550
- Earlybird registrations close 22 September.
- Sibling discount: A $100 sibling discount applies to the second and each subsequent sibling from the same household attending Summer Jazz Camp 2027.
- All prices include GST.
- There’s no surcharge for paying by card.
- We accept NSW Active and Creative Kids vouchers.
- Bookings are only confirmed once full payment is received.
- Bookings close on 12 December, or earlier if places fill.
Registration
Registration is open. Earlybird prices apply until 22 September.
Register NowBookings are subject to the Jazz Camp Terms & Conditions, including the cancellation policy.
Accommodation, Meals & Supervision
Accommodation is in cabins of up to 8 campers per room. Campers are grouped in rooms with others of a similar age. Sleeping rooms are separated by sex. If a camper has circumstances that may require a different accommodation arrangement, please contact us before booking so that we can discuss what arrangements are available. Each room has its own dedicated shower and toilet, either ensuite or immediately outside the room.
On the registration form you will be able to nominate who you would like to room with, if you already know others who are going to Summer Jazz Camp.
Campers and accommodation areas are well supervised during free time, at bedtime, and overnight. Experienced camp counsellors are on site and accessible 24/7. Their job is to support the campers and teachers and ensure a safe, happy, and efficient camp. Every staff member at Summer Jazz Camp has a current verified Working With Children Check (WWCC). There are also trained first aiders on site 24/7.
The camp includes all meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as morning and afternoon snacks. Special meals are available at no extra charge and must be requested in advance. Kitchen staff at Sydney Academy of Sport & Recreation are very experienced in working with school and youth groups and in safely preparing meals for visitors with special dietary requirements.
Getting There
The venue for Summer Jazz Camp 2027 is Sydney Academy of Sport & Recreation at Narrabeen on Sydney’s northern beaches.
- Sydney Academy of Sport & Recreation, Wakehurst Parkway, Narrabeen NSW 2101.
- By Car: It is about 40 minutes’ drive from central Sydney.
- By public transport: there is also easy access by bus or airport shuttle.
- We can help coordinate transport from the airport to Jazz Camp on request.
Questions about Summer Jazz Camp?
For more information email info@JazzWorkshopAustralia.com.au