Summer School 22nd Aug - 29th Aug 2010

The National Youth Jazz Collective is delighted to launch its National Youth Jazz Summer School 2010, which will be held at the Yehudi Menuhin School, Surrey from 3pm on 22nd August to 11am on 29th August 2010, culminating in a free public performance given by the summer school participants at 6pm on 28th August 2010 and a pre-concert seminar at 4.30pm for aspiring young jazz musicians looking for advice on “Good practice for young jazz musicians”.

This week-long summer school, funded by Youth Music and parented by Sound and Music, will draw together 30 of England’s most gifted and talented young jazz musicians (aged 14 to 18), working alongside a team of extremely experienced jazz educators, who are also internationally renowned jazz artists. Tutors include Issie Barratt, Alec Dankworth, Nic France, Mark Hodgson, John Hollenbeck, Mark Lockheart, Liam Noble, Jeremy Price, Nick Smart, Martin Speake, Rowland Sutherland and Mike Walker.

The focus of the National Youth Jazz Summer School is to develop improvisatory and interactive skills within the context of small group playing, as well as offering a high level of performance experience and professional guidance.

Auditions for NYJC’s National Youth Jazz Summer School 2010 will be held between 27th March and 17th April 2010 at the following locations. Auditions are open to young musicians who are aged 14 to 18 and are living in England.

Jazz composers and arrangers are encouraged to apply to the jazz strand of the Sound and Music Summer School at the Purcell School 15th – 21st August 2010 (See www.soundandmusic.org or phone 020 7759 1814 for more details).

1. APPLICATION FORMS & FURTHER INFORMATION

Applications now closed!
Supporting Materials

2. REFERENCE AND SIGNATORIES

All applicants will be asked to provide 3 supportive signatories and a reference of no more than 100 words.

NOTE TO REFEREES - Please submit References using our online form.

3. CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: Now closed

All application forms are to be completed on line or returned to our National Youth Jazz Summer School Project Manager, c/o the National Youth Jazz Collective, PO Box 63162, London, SE14 9AB or summerschool@nyjc.co.uk by 19th February 2010 (All applicants are requested to adhere to the closing date).

4. AUDITION PROCESS

As you arrive, you’ll be greeted by our Summer School’s Project Manager who will be overseeing the audition schedule and supporting you through your audition day.

a) Instrumentalists and singers.
Three people will be with you during your audition: Two adjudicators and a jazz pianist (who will be accompanying you in your pieces and running some of the practical aural tests). All three are keen to make sure your audition is as relaxed and creative as possible, so please do tell us if we can do anything to help you during your audition day. For the audition you will be asked to:

1) Perform a head and three improvised choruses of a mid tempo blues in F (From memory i.e. without using a lead sheet), which will be accompanied by the jazz pianist.

b) Perform TWO contrasting pieces lasting no more than a total of 8 minutes (There’s a list of example pieces here for those needing some guidance on choosing appropriate repertoire). Both pieces should begin with an opening “head arrangement” (i.e. a melody, accompanied by a chord progression). This should then be followed by an improvised solo section, which is based on the same chord progression as accompanies the opening head (In both pieces, drummers will be expected to accompany the head, take a solo and trade four, two and one bars with the pianist). Candidates are invited to perform an original piece as one of their two selected pieces. We’d like to encourage all candidates, where possible, to play their two prepared pieces from memory, so that they can really focus on improvising over the changes and interacting with the accompanying pianist. However, this is not obligatory and using a lead sheet for these two pieces will not influence the outcome of the audition. All candidates will be expected to provide appropriate concert lead sheets for the jazz pianist (You can find an example by clicking here) In the case of piano or guitar auditions, the provided accompanist will take on the role of a jazz bass.

c) Listen to a couple of short phrases played twice on the piano. You will then be asked to play them back on your instrument (or sing them back if your main instrument is voice).

d) Improvise over two simple chord progressions written especially for the audition, using accessible, standard jazz harmony (You can find examples by clicking here). The first will use a simple progression of up to four chords, which will be repeated by the pianist, so that the candidate relies on their ears to work out the changes. The second will be a notated progression of up to eight chords using chord symbols.

e) Play a short free improvisation with the provided jazz pianist.

f) Take part in a short conversation so we can hear about the candidate’s individual interests. Rhythm section players will also be asked to play a variety of grooves and feels (using sticks, brushes and mallets) from a specific list of grooves that can be found by clicking here.

B) Young composers and arrangers are encouraged to apply for the jazz strand of the Sound and Music Summer School for young composers and creative musicians hosted by the Purcell School 15th – 21st August 2010 (Sound and Music are NYJC’s parent organization for 2010). The jazz strand will be led by NYJC’s CEO and highly acclaimed composer, Issie Barratt, who will be leading an internationally active team of professional jazz musicians. You can find out more about the Sound and Music Summer School from www.soundandmusic.org or by phoning 020 7759 1814.

5. BURSARY

The National Youth Jazz Collective, in partnership with Youth Music, are keen to ensure that no one is deterred from applying to attend the National Youth Jazz Summer School 2010 for financial reasons. While auditions are free, we realise that for some applicants travel costs can be prohibitively expensive. Where there is a clear need for financial assistance because of low family income, limited funds are available from the National Youth Jazz Summer School’s Bursary Scheme. As a guide, means tested financial support such as being in receipt of housing benefit or free school meals are the kind of reasons the Bursary Committee will consider. We are here to help, so if you wish to discuss your application for a bursary please write to us on summerschool@nyjc.co.uk We’re also happy to give you a call if you’d rather discuss your application over the phone. All applications will be treated in the strictest of confidence.

Applicants who are under 16 years of age at the time of the auditions can also apply to have their
chaperon’s travel costs covered.

NYJC’s Bursary Committee will be meeting on 24th February 2010 to consider auditionees’ requests for financial assistance to attend the National Youth Jazz Summer School’s regional auditions 2010.

6. REGISTRATION FEE

All successful applicants will be asked to pay a registration fee of £150 when accepting their place on the National Youth Jazz Summer School 2010. All other costs apart from travel expenses (accommodation, catering, tutor fees, hire of equipment and venue hire) will be covered by Youth Music's NYMO grant.

Both the National Youth Jazz Collective and Youth Music are keen to ensure that no one is deterred from attending the National Youth Jazz Summer School 2010 for financial reasons. Where there is a clear need for financial assistance, including coverage of some or all of the registration fee and /or travel costs to and from the summer school, limited funds are available from the National Youth Jazz Summer School’s Bursary Scheme.

As with the application for travel subsidies for the auditions, the sort of reasons that the Bursary Committee will consider as qualifying for financial assistance to attend the Summer School are a low family income, support from housing benefit or free school meals. We are here to help, so if you wish to discuss your financial application please write to us c/o summerschool@nyjc.co.uk. We’re also happy to give you a call if you’d rather discuss your application over the phone. All applications will be treated in the strictest of confidence.

Applicants who are under 16 years of age at the time of the summer school can also apply to have their chaperon’s travel costs covered.

NYJC’s Bursary Committee will be meeting on 28th April 2010 to consider requests for financial assistance to attend the National Youth Jazz Summer School 2010.

Forthcoming Events

Devon
24th April 2010
South West Music School, Dartington
NYJC professional concert

Devon
25th April 2010
South West Music School, Dartington
CPD, YMW & family concert

Rotheram
29th April 2010
Thurcroft Junior School
Young Musicians Workshop Evening

Rotheram
8th May 2010
Thurcroft Junior School
Young Musicians Workshop

London
9th May 2010
Kings Place
Young Musicians Workshop

London
6th June 2010
Kings Place
Young Musicians Workshop

Click here for more information