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Articles tagged with: Jazz

One Day Taster Courses

One Day Taster Courses

September 29th, 2014

JackdawsWe have officially reached autumn and we’re looking forward to the next few months of courses at Jackdaws because our One Day Courses will enter their fourth season.

One Day Courses are the perfect introduction to making music at Jackdaws. In 2011 we decided to swap our usual programme of weekend courses in November and December for a series of one day singing taster sessions. It turned out to be a success – three years later, we are running day courses on topics from Playing Jazz to using Alexander Technique.

With top quality tuition and a famous Jackdaws lunch provided, taster days are open to musicians of all levels and give you the opportunity to try something new. Perhaps that’s playing a new genre of music at “Jazz Day”, or singing as part of your first opera chorus in “Come and Sing the Magic Flute”.

What’s happening this year?
Jackdaws Day CoursesAlexander Technique for Musicians
Ann Hetherington
Saturday 15 November


Singing for the over 50s
Penny Jenkins
Sunday 30 November


Jazz Day
Ralf Dorrell
Saturday 6 December


Singing with Confidence
Jessica Walker
Sunday 7 December


Come and Sing Mozart’s Magic Flute
William Carslake
Sunday 14 December

Jazz Jam at Jackdaws

Jazz Jam at Jackdaws

November 26th, 2013

…with Ralf Dorrell

Have you ever wanted to have a go at playing Jazz, but didn’t know quite where to begin?
Try the Jazz Taster Day at Jackdaws on Sunday 15 December and let Ralf show you how it’s done!

In a relaxed, yet supportive environment, Ralf Dorrell will lead a day course for all; absolute beginners and musicians who have played a little jazz and would like to try more. Participants will be encouraged to have fun exploring all of the musical areas and skills required to play jazz, including- basic rhythms, melodies, harmony and improvisation. By the end of the day the target is for the group to be able to perform a couple of simple pieces together.

This course is suitable for any ability and all instrumentalists; this includes so-called “classical” instruments such as flute, violin, cello, etc, alongside more traditional jazz instruments; piano, trumpet, trombone, clarinet as so on.

A participant who attended the Jazz Day last year left the following feedback

“I just wanted to say I enjoyed the jazz course very much. Everyone there learnt something!”

Jackdaws Tutor Ralf DorrellRalf studied for his BMus at Sheffield University, a Masters’ in Composition from Bath Spa University and is working towards a PhD in Composition. He is very active on the South West music scene as a composer, performer (double bass, bass guitar and trombone), bandleader, ensemble director, lecturer, teacher and workshop tutor. He has been leading workshops on improvisation, composition and jazz since 1984. He also conducts Bath Community Big Band and is a tutor at The Jazz Factory, and Wiltshire Youth Jazz Orchestra.

His compositions have been performed on BBC Radio 3 and at venues including the Purcell Rooms, South Bank, London and St Georges, Brandon Hill, Bristol. As a performer he has played at music festivals both in the UK (including Glastonbury and Edinburgh) and abroad (Le Mans Jazz Festival), and has performed on BBC Radios 2, 3 and 4 as well as on BBC1 and Channel 4 television.

For more information on Ralf, visit his website at ralfdorrell.com

Join Ralf at Jackdaws on Sunday 15 December from 11am to 3pm for a break from the Christmas shopping and enjoy a day of Jolly Jazzy Joyfulness! Lunch is included in the fee of £35, home-cooked by Jackdaws wonderful cooks.

Click here to book your place

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