Education News

Jazz Masters To Teach Career-Altering Workshops For Aspiring Guitar Students At New Whistler Jazz Festival

Source: Christina Moore
June 19, 2011

The inaugural Jazz On The Mountain At Whistler invites aspiring guitar students from across North America to apply for 70 coveted spots within the Master Class Series, taking place September 2 to 4, 2011 in Whistler, BC. Over the course of six workshops, students will learn from some of jazz music's most well-known guitar virtuosos— Kevin Eubanks, Stanley Jordan, Russ Freeman, Lorne Lofsky, Greg Lowe and Stan Samole, providing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pick up tips from true masters. Six ...

Continue Reading...

Piano Lessons for Father's Day? Online Course Promises Fun and Creativity

Source: Edward Weiss
June 19, 2011

Father's day is rapidly approaching. Usually, the gifts given are ties and underwear. But it doesn't have to be. At least not according to pianist and online teacher Edward Weiss. Weiss owns and operates a website that teaches adults how to create their own music at the piano. And not just any music, but something called 'new age'—a style that's been around for over 25 years and that many people really like. When asked why so people take his course, ...

Continue Reading...

New Orleans Traditional Jazz Camp lets music lovers learn new techniques, have a blast

Source: Michael Ricci
June 13, 2011

All day, as computer consultant Dean Booth deals with manufacturers, he looks forward to heading down to his basement in Hudson, Mass., to practice his tuba. His wife watches TV in the room above, knowing he's there because she sometimes feels the floor vibrate, he said. “This is my escape from manufacturing companies," said Booth, 55, as he wiped down his sousaphone on Tuesday after an afternoon rehearsal, part of this week's New Orleans Traditional Jazz Camp. The camp, in ...

Continue Reading...

School of Jazz: Volume 7 Available

Source: Groove Notes
June 8, 2011

Only available online—purchase here Several of Western Washington's finest high school jazz bands and jazz professionals are showcased on KPLU School of Jazz—Volume 7, the station's latest CD release which is the culmination of this year's mentoring project. In 2005, as part of its continuing support of music education in the schools, KPLU developed a mentoring program involving bands from 10 high schools and one middle school, and the participation of 11 local jazz professionals. The fruits of this partnership ...

Continue Reading...

Yoga for Piano? "New Age" Piano Lessons Soothe Stressed-Out Students

Source: Edward Weiss
June 4, 2011

Twisting, stretching, and holding a pose ... that's what yoga students do to tone and relax the body at the same time. But piano teacher Edward Weiss doesn't want all those benefits to go just to yoga students. Weiss, a pianist, composer, and teacher has developed an online piano course where students can learn how to play something called 'new age' piano. The 'new age' genre has been around since the early 1980's and remains a legitimate style of music. ...

Continue Reading...

Keeping jazz music alive with the Young Sounds of Arizona

Source: Michael Ricci
June 1, 2011

PHOENIX—Over the years, studies have shown that kids involved in music programs overwhelmingly do better in school overall. Eric Rasmussen, Music Director of the Young Sounds of Arizona says with music education programs being cut statewide, Young Sounds give talented students an outlet to pursue their musical goals, even if their high school music program is struggling.

Young Sounds is all-city jazz ensemble comprised of the best young jazz talent in the Valley, started in 1971. ...

Continue Reading...

Letters to Naras: The Jazz Education Network Writes About the Latin Jazz Grammy

Source: The Latin Jazz Corner by Chip Boaz
May 21, 2011

On Wednesday April 6th, The National Academy Of Recording Arts And Sciences announced a “restructuring" of The Grammy Awards, a move that included the elimination of the Latin Jazz Grammy. This unfortunate decision undermines the integrity of Latin Jazz and disregards its importance as a major piece of the cultural landscape in the United States. I would encourage all LJC readers to protest this decision and demand that NARAS reinstate the Latin Jazz Grammy immediately—you can do this by sending ...

Continue Reading...

Diatonic Interval Ear Training

Source: Bill Rinehart
May 16, 2011

Updated Lesson Just Released: Diatonic Interval Ear Training In this lesson, learn to identify the seven diatonic intervals by associating each one with the first two notes of a jazz standard. Test yourself with five randomized quizzes to gain speed and accuracy in hearing these most basic intervals. Updated with lots of new under-the-hood improvements: new streaming video, more music examples, table of contents (new feature!), searchable closed captioning (new feature!), five new quizzes built on a completely revamped quiz ...

Continue Reading...