Hello everyone,

I'm off on one of the abrsm Jazz introduction days today, leaving in about 5 mins. I'm actually really nervous as I don't do Jazz.

Just wondered if anyone else has been, or is going and what you thought.

Aw - wish I'd known about this a few days ago - and there are still places it seems. I would have come to.

Hope you enjoy it, Digby. I took the plunge and booked for the Introductory course without going on a taster day. The deed is done now, so I will be in fear and trembling next February when the first session starts.

Don't be nervous - relax and enjoy it!

Yesterday was a brilliant day, met SueHM, have known her for a few years now and not realised and she did some lovely improvisations. (missed you at the end Sue so didn't say good bye, sorry)

This day was perfect for me, my motivation wasn't with a view to doing the 4 day course because Jazz isn't really my thing, and as I don't listen to it I don't think I would ever be looking to do the Jazz exams with my students - but its always fun to incorporate new elements into lessons and is a great way for encouraging kids to do aural. Also having been looking at the Trinity syllabus I wanted some inspiration for the improvising section with that.

So the one day course is brilliant as a taster if you want to take it further, or just to inspire which is what I wanted.

Hi Digby, couldn't see you at the end and had to dash off, sorry!

Yes, it was a great day. There was an interesting mix of about 15 pianists, 8 flutes, 1 sax, 1 clarinet, 1 trumpet, and 2 cellos (sorry if I've forgotten anyone!) We were taken through a step by step process of copying easy little phrases by singing then playing and developing that into call and response games etc until we were all happily playing 4 to 12 bar improvised solos. It was very inspiring and there were lots of ideas for incorporating these techniques into teaching aural and scales and so on.

I would thoroughly recommend the taster day to anyone - jazz enthusiast or not, and I can't wait for the 4 day course next year. I came home thoroughly inspired and am eagerly awaiting the arrival of my first pupil today, a boy who prefers to do everything by ear and who I have had real struggles with over note reading. How happy he will be when I tell him we are going to forget about the dots for the first part of his lesson. I plan to revise his pentatonic scales that have been such a bugbear by busting them up into loads of 2 or 3 note sections and improvising on them, just like we did yesterday.... it will either be one of our best lessons ever, or a complete disaster! (watch this space)

PS We learnt all about some very fancy chords eg half diminished

Very interesting! By the way, did they say anything about a forthcoming jazz strings syllabus? Last time I phoned the AB they asked me to stop asking as it 'probably wouldn't happen for about ten years'. I read about cellos being involved in the taster days - could this be the first murmurings of a jazz strings syllabus???

Any info, in other words?

Nothing imminent I'm afraid, but the chap did suggest that people pester the board. However, you might like to look at the 'real' books published by ABRSM. These are not instrument specific, so suitable for strings, woodwind, brass, whatever. There is plenty of material out there, just no strings exams yet.

See here

AB also publishes stuff for jazz ensembles and you can do an ensemble exam (any 2 or more instruments) - I should think strings would be eligible for these - you would need to check.

See here

Hope this helps.

Ooh, just found that you can download individual tracks here :http://www.abrsmpublishing.com/realBook (couldn't put link in when editing)

I'm going to the London taster day on 11 November. Is anyone else booked on this?

Sounds like it was really good - glad to hear it

i`m ceinwen and i did the taster day last sunday!! really really really good! i`m an estate agent now for my sins and teach 4 fabulous pupils!! did my degree in 94 so needed to do something to wake me up!

Am going to hit all the schools in my area to get into teaching so i can quit being an estate agent

Thanks to everyone who went as eveyone was great and really inspired me

Thanks also to Ros and Richard x

sue, u were fab with your improvising on the cello!! u deserve grade 8 jazz for that performance!! well done girl

No response to my last post, so is there anyone else going to the London jazz taster day on Sunday?

Hi Cein

I thought being an estate agent was a good job? The sort of thing music teachers think they should have done instead when they're scratching to make ends meet...

Well, it was a very good day today and I've signed up for the 2008 London course - see you there, Andante-in-C.