sima | women’s jazz workshops

SIMA is thrilled to present the 2009 Jazz Improvisation Workshops For Young Women. This is a unique 8-week course for young women musicians (aged approximately 14-28) who want to develop their skills as improvisers.

The course director is Sandy Evans who has 30 years of professional experience at the forefront of Australian jazz as a saxophonist, composer and teacher. The other members of the faculty are outstanding Sydney jazz musicians Monique Lysiak (piano), Zoe Hauptmann (bass), Jess Green (guitar), Alex Silver (trombone) and for the second year running, Kristin Berardi (voice).

Special guests Toby Hall (drums) and Craig Scott (bass) will conduct one-off masterclasses.

An exciting new initiative for 2009 will be a special masterclass by legendary USA saxophonist and jazz educator, George Garzone, who will be teaching the course on Saturday 22 August.

“The workshops offer a creative and supportive environment where you can learn to develop improvised jazz solos in small ensembles with other like-minded people. This course is suitable for musicians from any musical background: jazz, classical, rock, folk, country. We are thrilled this year to have George Garzone – this is a fantastic opportunity for our students!” – Sandy Evans

General Information

Application form:
2009 Workshops – application form 4Mb PDF

Auditions:
Saturday 27 June 2009

Workshops:
Saturday mornings: August 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29; September 5, 12 and 19

Fee:
$360 (includes masterclass, all classes, concert & lunch at the Discussion Forum – date TBA)

Concert:
All ensembles perform live at The Basement on Wednesday 23 September

Venue
Australian Institute of Music, 1-5 Foveaux St, Surry Hills

Further Info
Gordana Raketic (Co-ordinator/SIMA)
ph: 9036 6292 | 0409 601 602 | info@sima.org.au

Closing date for applications
Friday 19 June, 2009

Objectives

1. Develop the skills and confidence of young women in jazz and improvised music.
2. Broaden knowledge of jazz and improvised music.
3. Increase awareness of career options in jazz and related areas.
4. Encourage students to audition for tertiary jazz courses and to prepare them for the audition process.

Course requirements

Knowledge of jazz is not a prerequisite, but applicants should have a strong interest in improvisation and be working towards a career in music. Students should be proficient on their main instrument. Don’t be deterred from applying if you can’t read music.

The course is aimed at Year 9, 10, 11 and 12 students, but is open to young women who have recently left school and fulfill the other criteria. Younger students are also welcome to audition.

Audition requirements

1. Play a blues head and improvise over the form.
2. Play a piece of your own choice that demonstrates what you are best at.
3. Sight reading of music and chord changes.
4. Major scale in several keys.
5. Drummers only: Demonstrate swing, bossa nova, rock and jazz waltz feels.

A piano accompanist will be provided for the auditions.

What our students think

The SIMA Young Womens’ Improvisation Jazz course is aimed at teaching young women how to improvise, over forms of songs and chords, and teaches a whole new vocabulary based around jazz. Improvisation is no easy feat. But when you have experienced tutors like Sandy Evans, Jess Green, and many others, including guest tutors on your side, you can learn how to create a variety of improvised solos that can captivate an audience. They want you to get the best out of the course, to extend your playing capabilities. As you go through the course, you meet other girls who like jazz as well, who like music, who want to get together and have fun making music. If you have the right people, you could even form a band out of the course! – Shawna, 2008 student

This course has played a pivotal role in my development as a jazz musician. A magical thing happened in this course and after only 3 workshops, I performed my first guitar solo at a gig with my band. This has not only improved my own musical experience, but theirs as well. I would love to return and do the course again next year. Thank you so much!!!!! – Cassandra, 2008 student

Ensemble Leaders/Tutors

Sandy Evans – Saxophone
Winner of the Inaugural Bell Award for Australian Jazz Musician of Year, Sandy Evans is recognised as one of the leading saxophonists and composers in contemporary Australian jazz. She leads the Sandy Evans Trio and co-leads the dynamic new 8- piece ensemble GEST8 and Clarion Fracture Zone. She is also a member of Ten Part Invention, The catholics, the Australian Art Orchestra and austraLYSIS and has toured extensively in Australasia, Europe, USA and Canada, playing at many major jazz festivals and clubs. Sandy has won many awards including an APRA Award for Jazz Composition of the Year and several Mo and ARIA Awards. A graduate of the Jazz Course at the NSW Conservatorium, Sandy is an experienced teacher of saxophone, improvisation, composition and arranging.

Monique Lysiak – Piano and keyboard
Monique is a highly skilled jazz pianist, committed to excellence in her teaching and performance. With 25 years teaching experience at Ascham School for Girls, Edgecliff, Queenwood School for Girls, Mosman and the Jazz Action Society, Sydney as well as private tuition to Piano Grade students in Classical and Jazz. Monique has recorded several CDs and has performed widely.

Jess Green – Guitar
Jess is a graduate of the Canberra School of Music, ANU, majoring in guitar and gaining first class honours in her Bachelor of Music (Jazz Studies). Jess has since developed her passion for composition, performing her works in many established Australian Jazz venues and festivals. Highlights of the past 4 years include performances at Bennett’s Lane for the Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival, Devonport Jazz Festival, Melbourne’s “Half Bent” Festival and Palmer St Jazz Festival (QLD) amongst others. As well as this she regularly performs in Blues/Funk/Rock venues in a variety of bands. Jess is also a highly sought after teacher and tutors guitar, aural, history and theory at The Australian Institute of Music and tours regularly throughout Australia for MUSICA VIVA. In 2006, Jess was awarded the Jann Rutherford memorial award, given to female Jazz musicians in NSW in honour of the late pianist Jann Rutherford.

Kristin Berardi – Voice
Vocalist, composer & educator, Kristin Berardi won first place in the 2006 Montreux Jazz Festival’s Shure International Vocal Competition, following on from her 2005 third placement in the Australian National Jazz Vocal Competition. She has spent time studying and recording in NYC in 2004 and 2005 with great artists such as Kenny Werner, Jim Pugh, David Binney & Ingrid Jenson and has performed in New York, Germany and Australia at major festivals and jazz venues. Kristin leads her own ensemble and performs as a guest artist with various other groups, including The Selah Ensemble and Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra.

Alex Silver – Trombone
Alex leads her own band, the Alex Silver Quartet, showcasing her own original compositions, as well as playing regularly in other bands around Sydney. She is a graduate of jazz Studies Course at The Sydney Conservatorium of Music. In 2006 Alex won the inaugural Jann Rutherford Memorial Award and performed at the Melbourne International Women’s Jazz Festival with the assistance of the Award. In 2000 Alex was awarded the Pan Pacific James Morrison Scholarship and has performed with James Morrison at the Opening Ceremony of the Australian Olympics. Alex has performed at the Montreux, Vienne and Brienz Jazz festivals in Europe.

Zoe Hauptmann – Acoustic and electric bass
One of the leading bass players in Sydney today, Zoe plays with many bands, including Exposed Bone, King Curly and Elana Stone Band. She also leads her own group Zoe & the Buttercups, merging jazz with bluegrass and rock and has released a successful debut CD. Zoe is an experienced music teacher expert in leading rhythm section workshops.

Special Masterclass with George Garzone (USA)

Saturday 22 August

Saxophonist George Garzone is a veteran jazzman, appearing on over 20 recordings, guesting with many jazz greats including Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman and Chick Corea and touring widely, including with his own trio, The Fringe, which has released three albums.. Garzone has also performed with non-jazz artists, including Aerosmith, Aretha Franklin, Tom Jones, Liberace, Elvis Presley and New Kids on The Block. A well-known and sought-after jazz educator, currently teaching at the Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory, Longy School of Music, New York University and the Manhattan School of Music amongst others. He has pioneered the triadic chromatic approach, to be released on DVD in mid-Fall 2008, and students of his have included Joshua Redman, Branford Marsalis, Teadross Avery and Doug Yates to name a few.

Guest lecturers

Craig Scott – Bass
Craig Scott has been one of Australia’s leading bassists for over 25 years. As Chair of Jazz Studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and coordinator of the Master of Music (Jazz) Degree and frequently gives master classes at other tertiary institutions around Australia and New Zealand, he is deeply involved in jazz education. He is often invited as a guest lecturer internationally – most recently at the Berklee Music School in Boston, U.S.A for the International Association of Schools of Jazz.

Toby Hall – Drums
Toby Hall is one of the most highly regarded and sought-after Australian drummers. He has played on more that 20 CDs, performed with virtually every major Australian jazz artist and toured extensively throughout Australasia. Europe, USA, Canada and the South Pacific. A band-leader in his own right he also plays with many of the best Sydney bands including Alister Spence Trio, The World According to James, Sandy Evans Trio and Paul Capsis as well as many major international artists. Toby has been actively involved in music education for young people for over ten years, primarily through the Musica Viva In Schools concerts and AIM and has recently completed a Masters of Music Degree in Jazz Studies at Sydney Conservatorium of Music.