Columbus is lucky to have an organization like the Jazz Arts Group who works to promote and educate the community on the jazz art form as well as performance. This Spring and Summer students can sign up for a number of different classes at the Jazz Academy from individual performance classes, to workshops and even camps for students to hone their musicianship. The Jazz Arts Group believes in the power of music to transform lives and is committed to offering lifelong-learning opportunities for individuals of all ages, interests, backgrounds and abilities.
Below are some of the featured classes for the upcoming season.
TRUMPET, TROMBONE & SAXOPHONE ENSEMBLES
Beginning trombone, saxophone and trumpet ensembles (February 4 – 25) will provide beginning instrumentalists the opportunity to increase reading skills, improve basic technique and sound production, learn basic theory and improvisation, and play in an ensemble format. (Register)
POPULAR PIANO FOR RECOVERING CHILDHOOD PIANISTS
Join nationally-known jazz educator Bradley Sowash (February 8 – April 4) for a fun and creative approach to piano playing completely different from having your knuckles rapped by an overbearing childhoood teacher. (Register)
RECORDING AND PRODUCING YOUR SONGS
Central City Recording’s Andy Dodson lends his studio skills (February 8 – March 14) for songwriters or bands who want to learn how to record and produce their own original music and compositions. (Register)
Additional Classes
Explore scales, harmony and form in various styles of music to enhance performance, composition and arranging skills in Practical Music Theory (February 2 – March 8 ) with Stan Smith. Jazz/Classical guitar master Tim Cummiskey will lead four different workshops on mastering guitar skills including Let’s Start at the Very Beginning – Scales and Melodies to Harmonies and Progressions (February 21), Bridging the Gap – Scales and Arpeggios to Chromatics (March 6), Fingerpickin’ Good – Technique and Style (March 27), and Now Let’s Play – Exploring Repertoire (April 3).
The Jazz Academy will also host free workshops in conjunction with the Columbus Music Co-op titled “So You Want to Make Music in Columbus?” (Sunday, March 25) and “How to Throw a Benefit Show & Working with Music in the Community” (Sunday, April 22).
Get a head start for summer with early bird registration for COSI’s Electronic Music Making; Sean Carney’s CAMP Blues and CAMP Blues, Too; “No Charts!” Ensemble with Jay Miglia; Live Recording CAMP; Rob Parton’s CAMP Jazz; and Columbus Community Big Band (formerly known as Big Band for Grown-Ups). (Register)