sima | women’s jazz workshops

SIMA is thrilled to announce the 2008 Improvisation Workshops For Young Women. This is a unique 8 week course for young women musicians (aged approximately 14 to 25) 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) and Jess Green (guitar).

Special guests Toby Hall (drums) and Craig Scott (bass) will conduct one-off master classes. An exciting new initiative for 2008 will be visits from two talented young brass players, trombonists Alex Silver and Shannon Barnett.

The course culminates in a public concert by the students at The Sound Lounge, Seymour Theatre Centre, where SIMA presents some of Australia’s greatest jazz musicians every week.

We are all professional jazz musicians who want to share our love of jazz and improvised music. 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. – Sandy Evans

General Information

Application form:
2008 Workshops – application form 220kb PDF

Closing date for applications:
Friday 6 June 2008

Auditions:
Saturday 28 June 2008

Workshops:
Saturday mornings: July 26; August 2,16, 23 and 30; September 6, 13 and 20

Fee:
$330 per student for the full course

Concert:
September 2008 (TBC)

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.




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