Term 1, 2023, is about to start at Jazz Workshop Australia. I hope you had a good summer, whatever that means for you. Be that restful, busy, invigorating, joyful, happy, peaceful, or exciting, we at JWA wish you happiness, success, and prosperity for 2023 and all the years to come.
We’re busy getting things ready for the new year. Whether you are a new student (welcome) or returning (thanks, you’re wonderful), now’s the time to enrol or renew for Term 1. Here’s a summary of the main things on offer for you or your child this term, plus some good reasons why you should do them.
Jazz Combos – for adults, teens, & kids
Jazz combos at JWA are small improvising jazz groups of up to 8 members. They are quite different from big bands (about 14 to 20 members). Think Miles Davis Quintet (click for video), Sandy Evans Trio, Charlie Parker, or Bireli Lagrene Quartet. Big band is a very different thing. Some examples include the Count Basie Orchestra, Duke Ellington, or Benny Goodman Orchestra. Many big bands are called “orchestra” because they play orchestrations, just like a classical ensemble. If you want to be a strong big band player or an improvising soloist, then learning to play and improvise in small combos is the way to go, just like the stars of these examples.
Combos at JWA are much more than just a weekly jam session. Members get explicit teaching, useful feedback, and work through programs designed to progressively improve their level of jazz playing. At JWA teaching, learning, and knowledge-building are integral to our method. On top of that, it is great fun too. We have combos for kids & teens, combos for adults 18+, and our introductory Little Jazzers group class for ages 4-6.
In our experience, students participating in jazz combo tend to do significantly better in school music and all-round musicianship than “muggles” who do not. Members, regardless of age, also make enormous gains in self – confidence, instrumental technique, aural skills and rhythmic sense. It transforms your experience, understanding, and control, and passion for music. All this is, of course, in addition to the main benefit of simply learning or improving at playing jazz.
Pay for combo before 30 January to beat our first price rise in many years. Click one of the urgent red buttons to enrol now or enquire (either way you’ll learn more).
Private Music Lessons – jazz & conventional
What would a music school be without music lessons? At JWA we offer private lessons with excellent teachers. As of Term 1 2023 you and/or your child can take lessons on any of the following instruments: piano, drums, guitar, bass, trumpet, trombone, saxophone, and clarinet.
Why learn at Jazz Workshop Australia? Excellent teachers with experience and good track record, highly effective, enjoyable lessons guided by logical, educational programs and powered by knowledge. We put teaching and learning and the needs of our students first. It sounds simple, but it seems a rare thing.
Instrumental music teaching in NSW is unregulated: anybody can do it. How do you know who a teacher really is, or if they are any good, or if they can even play their instrument properly or even read music? Can they really teach? What’s their training and background? At JWA we take care of those concerns for you and select great teachers.
Our business model revolves around ensuring the success and long-term musical development of our students. We reject the misconception that any teacher is good enough and we will never just get the cheapest (for us), inexperienced teacher. Our success and our reputation come from ensuring you get an excellent musical education. That’s why music lessons are JWA are a good idea. Click one of the insistent red buttons to enrol now for Term 1 or enquire.
Jazz camp – for kids, teens, & adults
The third of our main offerings is music camps. We present jazz camps for young musicians and adults. Our program of camps caters to all levels of player, from novice never-played-jazz-before to very advanced emerging professionals. Like everything else we do, we aim for our camps to be fun but also profoundly motivational and deeply rooted in knowledge-building.
Winter Jazz Camp in July is aimed at young musicians aged 9 to 17. It’s a non-residential camp held at the JWA studio in St Leonards during the NSW July school holidays. It is a realtively small camp but still includes groups for beginner, intemediate, and more experienced jazz players. In 2023 WInter Jazz Camp is scheduled for 10-12 July. Booking opens in April.
New for 2023, or more accurately back by popular demand after many years, is Jazz Camp for adults. We’re still finalising the details, but it will either be a non-residential camp held at the JWA studio in St Leonards OR a two night/3 days residential camp held within a 90 minute drive of Sydney. Either way, it’s going to be Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday. The dates for adult jazz camp are 14-16 July. Further details and booking are coming soon.
Summer Jazz Camp is a much larger camp held every January in Katoomba, 90 minutes out of Sydney by car. It is for ages 10 to 18 and includes groups and activities for every level. It is a residential camp and attracts many young musicians from interstate, and regional NSW as well as Sydney locals. We usually even get a number of international guests too. This is quite a famous camp and has been running annually for more than 40 years. For young jazz musicians, JWA Summer Jazz Camp is a must-do.
No camps scheduled for Term 1 2023, but now is the time to put your camp in the diary and start preparing. Click one of the obtrusive red buttons above to enquire or express interest.
