Jazz Information for entry Sept 2017 www.ram.ac.uk/jazz jazz@ram.ac.uk Application Deadline: 1 October 2016
Introduction Since the formation of its first jazz course, the Royal Academy of Music has been steadily producing the most outstanding array of exciting, versatile, creative and employable musicians to emerge on to the scene. So what is it that is so unique about studying at the Academy that continues to achieve such consistently high levels? We offer an ideal environment to learn and experiment with this extremely broad art form. There is strong emphasis on performance and composition with opportunities to play with your own groups both within the Academy and outside at the many venues we have strong links with; the 606, the Vortex, the Forge, Pizza Express, Ronnie Scotts and Kings Place. The Academy jazz course benefits from small numbers, enabling students to receive a personalised education and close support throughout their studies. Each year group forms into small ensembles that play together extensively to grow and develop as a group, although you will also play with all the musicians from the other year groups. These ongoing interactions have, often, naturally developed to a level where lifelong musical associations are formed. The finest jazz performers have always been complete musicians; unified in their improvising as players and composition as writers. From Duke Ellington through to Herbie Hancock, John Coltrane and on to Kenny Wheeler, we aim to continue this tradition with a full and varied course in all disciplines covering many aspects and forms of jazz music and possible applications within other genres. We aim that, upon graduation, you will have found your own creative voice and be equipped with a versatile set of skills to allow you to pursue the future you want as a musician. Recent and upcoming highlights Big Band projects with Dave Holland, Joe Locke, Dave Liebman, Julian Arguelles, Peter Erskine, John Hollenbeck, Charlier/Sourrise, Dave Douglas, and many more. Ensemble Projects with members of the faculty listed below, and visiting artists including Will Vinson, Seb Rochford, Gwilym Simcock, Jasper Hoiby, Mike Walker, Nikki Iles, Mark Lockheart, Liam Noble, Julian Siegel, Chris Batchelor, Jim Hart and more. Regular workshops and projects with our visiting professors, Larry Goldings, and artist in residence, Dave Holland. Recent masterclasses with Dave Liebman, Christian Scott, Larry Goldings, Peter Evans, Ralph Alessi Quartet, Will Vinson, Joel Frahm, Jerry Bergonzi, Mark Turner, Django Bates, Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet, John Hollenbeck and Claudia Quintet, Aaron Parks Trio and others. Performances at Ronnie Scotts, Kings Place, the Southbank Centre Purcell Room and Queen Elizabeth Hall, the 606 Club, Cadogan Hall, The Forge in Camden and The Vortex. We bring in performers from the world jazz scene, as often as possible, to work with the students. The course is committed to continual development in order to remain as vital as possible in this constantly evolving art form. Nick Smart Head of Jazz Programme 1
Course Descriptions Repertoire and Improvisation: During the first two years of study you will learn a list of commonly played tunes, all of which typify a particular harmonic or compositional device. By learning tunes by ear and in different keys your speed of thought develops and allows a quicker and deeper learning process to grow. These same tunes become the material on which you will explore a variety of improvisational approaches and strategies. For Postgraduates this course is in the first year of the programme only. Composition and Arranging: Jazz musicians tend to learn their craft through writing music for their peers as opposed to producing music for people they do not know. This is certainly true in a college environment. However, if they are to continue developing as composers once they have left college, they will need to be able to enthuse a wider group of people about playing the music they create. This course has been set up to give students the confidence to write and to equip them with the tools to continue writing once they have left college. The Composition & Arranging (C&A) course follows three strands throughout the 1st, 2nd and 3rd years - each covering a specific harmonic approach to writing - with each strand increasing in complexity from year to year. In their fourth year the students complete two very contrasting projects: big-band project and octet project. C&A represents a core element of Postgraduate courses. At a weekly workshop, you will be required to write and develop a portfolio of pieces written for Octet. Stylistically the choice is free but must be approved by the course tutor. In the final term of your final year you will be required to present your work in a concert to an audience. Here you must observe professional requirements and perform to the level expected in such an environment attended by the general public. Aural and Transcription: Good aural skills and sense of rhythmic awareness are essential requirements for all musicians. As improvising musicians you need to be able to respond in the moment to the sounds you hear, this course aims to reinforce these abilities through aural training in topics like recognising and identifying different chord qualities, modal sounds, key centres and so on. You will also undertake regular transcription projects to further internalise vocabulary and phrasing from the great players in history. Rhythmic Skills (Introduction & Advanced): Rhythmic Skills introduces students to nonwestern principles of rhythm drawn from Asian, African, and Latin American traditions. The course aims to familiarise them with techniques of group co-ordination and with individual and collective learning methods appropriate to aural/ oral methodologies. Teaching areas include case studies of tribal musics drawn from Shona, Xhosa, Yoruba, Dagbani, Ewe, Ashanti, Bambara Peoples, etc; rhythm studies - independence and integration with ensemble; transcription; composition and arrangement analysis; group movement and co-ordination; ensemble drumming; additive rhythm; percussion techniques (clave, tala, etc.). At BMus level the Advanced course can be replaced with an elective. Jazz Supporting Studies: This module is a supportive study for C&A and provides opportunities for students to develop skills in two-stave short score writing. It links with and complements the existing C&A requirement to write comprehensive two-stave rhythm section parts for the playdays. Finally, this module serves as a lesson in how to write fully notated piano parts and the assessment will reflect this. 2
Jazz History: Familiarity with the history of jazz has been central to the learning process of all jazz innovators. This course aims to develop critical awareness through analysing major works and linking them to the cultural contexts of their production. Teaching takes the form of a two-year rolling programme and classes use recordings and films to extend knowledge of periods, styles and forms. Concentrating on both the African-American and European origins of the music, the intention is to stimulate critical debate over the aesthetic, social, political and ethical decisions facing contemporary jazz practitioners as the art form enters its second century. Principal Study: One-hour weekly instrumental lessons (90 minutes per week for postgraduate students), culminating in an end of year recital. Ensemble Projects: These comprise weekly workshops and culminate in a public performance. The programme of concerts will vary from year to year and provides a foundation of core knowledge, equipping the student to undertake a broad and varied ensemble schedule throughout the years. In February there is an intensive ensemble project in which year groups are mixed up to create new ensembles, and the guest artist often performs with the group. All programmes of study provide opportunities to participate in big band and ensemble projects outside the prescribed requirements of the course. Big Band: Projects vary from year to year and feature a wide and exciting variety of repertoire, guest soloists, composers and directors. Each project culminates in a public concert which is assessed and the marks gained are added to your overall Professional Development Activity mark. Professional Development: In an increasingly competitive musical profession, students need to be equipped with the essential tools to survive and burgeon within it. They also need to adapt flexibly to the notion of acting as advocates in their chosen discipline. This can be channelled through education and outreach work where performance is juxtaposed with new and imaginative means of presentation and delivery as well as more conventional means. We have excellent links with the jazz media and industry, which result in regular seminars with journalists, broadcasters and record label owners. At the end of the BMus and PG programmes there is a Professional Development portfolio that includes many key skills and real-world examples, such as funding applications and press releases. Through the electives you also have the chance to take courses in Principles of Education and Music in the Community. Opportunity is also given for students to study for the additional LRAM teaching diploma. Second Study (optional): Provision is available for some second-study tuition (20 minutes per week). Students must apply to their Tutor at the start of the academic year. Music Technology: This course aims to equip students with a thorough grounding in all aspects of music technology in a studio environment, with an emphasis on practical applications to jazz and commercial composition. Teaching takes place in the Academy s three computerised studios. No previous experience, other than knowledge of basic keyboard skills, is necessary. Teaching areas include theories of computer technology within composition; functions of sequencing software (Logic Audio); sequencing input (step time, real time, etc); MIDI editing (use of matrix and hyper editing, etc); transposition and visualisation software; hard disk recording; synthesizer workstation integration; score realisation through MIDI data input and the basics of mixing your own recordings. The latter part of the course is dedicated to the preparation of the piece for course assessment, thereby giving further opportunities to discuss production and mixing techniques. 3
Programme Outlines Jazz students at the Academy follow either the four-year BMus or a choice of the two-year Masters programmes. Undergraduate: Jazz BMus (4 years) Year One Principal Study including ensemble and Big Band projects Aural & Transcription I Composition & Arranging I Jazz History I Music Technology Jazz Supporting Studies I Repertoire & Improvisation I Year Three Principal Study including ensemble and Big Band projects Aural & Transcription III Composition & Arranging III Rhythmic Skills Advanced (elective) Year Two Principal Study including ensemble and Big Band projects Aural & Transcription II Composition & Arranging II Jazz History II Jazz Supporting Studies II Repertoire & Improvisation II Rhythmic Skills Introduction Year Four Principal Study including ensemble and Big Band projects Composition & Arranging IV Electives Reflective portfolio 4
Postgraduate: MA & MMus (2 years) The postgraduate programmes are designed as two-year courses, with faculty projects and skills classes being set out as a progression over that time-span. In exceptional circumstances, we would discuss at the audition whether a candidate would be capable of taking the programme in one year. MA Principal Study including ensemble and Big Band projects Composition & Arranging workshop Rhythmic Skills Repertoire & Improvisation (year 1) Professional Portfolio Faculty Activity Portfolio MMus Principal Study including ensemble and Big Band projects Composition & Arranging workshop Rhythmic Skills Repertoire & Improvisation (year 1) Professional Portfolio Faculty Activity Portfolio Concert Project 5
General Information Application Deadline 1 October 2016 Fees and scholarships Please refer to the Academy website for up to date information about fees and financial assistance www.ram.ac.uk/study Audition Requirements Please see the RAM website for up to date information about the jazz auditions and entry requirements www.ram.ac.uk/apply All admissions enquiries should be directed to the Registry Telephone: 020 7873 7393 Email: registry@ram.ac.uk More information about the Jazz department is available from: www.ram.ac.uk/jazz Download a prospectus from: http://www.ram.ac.uk/prospectus Junior Jazz (for children aged 11-18) www.ram.ac.uk/jram Details of audition requirements, entrance qualifications, fees and scholarships for all courses are available on our website www.ram.ac.uk/study Come and hear the students play! The Jazz Department holds a regular concert series during term-time that showcases the work of the smaller ensembles. There are also several Big Band concerts that are held throughout the year, including at the EFG London Jazz Festival on November 21st 2015, 4.30pm in the Royal Festival Hall s Clore Ballroom. To see details of forthcoming concerts and events, please visit: www.ram.ac.uk/events
Head of Jazz Programmes Nick Smart Hon RAM, BABM (Hons), LGSM, PGDip Jazz Artist in Residence Dave Holland Visiting Professor of Jazz Larry Goldings Composition & Arranging Pete Churchill Aural & Transcription Tom Cawley ARAM Rhythmic Skills Barak Schmool MA, GRSM, LRAM History Keith Nichols GGSM, Hon ARAM Martin Speake LTCL, FTCL Jazz Supporting Studies Nikki Iles Hon ARAM Repertoire/Improvisation Pete Churchill Martin Speake Nick Smart Tom Cawley Technology Peiman Khosravi LRAM Nick Smart Violin Christian Garrick Saxophone Martin Speake Stan Sulzmann FRAM Iain Ballamy Julian Siegel Andy Panayi James Allsop Tim Garland Trumpet Nick Smart Mike Lovatt Steve Fishwick Trombone Gordon Campbell Mark Bassey Voice Nia Lynn Pete Churchill Norma Winstone Piano Tom Cawley Nikki Iles Gwilym Simcock Liam Noble Kit Downes Vibes Jim Hart Anthony Kerr Guitar John Parricelli Mike Walker Mike Walker Mike Outram Bass (electric and acoustic) Jeremy Brown Tom Herbert Jasper Høiby Michael Janisch Drum Kit Martin France Jeff Williams Ian Thomas Administration Jazz Department Administrator Emily Mould MMus BA (Hons) Telephone: 020 7873 7379 Email: e.mould@ram.ac.uk
Patron: HM The Queen President: HRH The Duchess of Gloucester GCVO Principal: Professor Jonathan Freeman-Attwood Marylebone Road London NW1 5HT tel 020 7873 7373 www.ram.ac.uk Registered Charity No. 310007 facebook.com/royalacademyofmusic twitter.com/royalacadmusic instagram.com/royalacademyofmusic