Gordon has been one of my students at Kaleo Music Studio's since May 2021. Gordon has no musical background but he has come on so much in the 4 months he has been learning and during the last couple of weeks, we have been discussing grading exams. Gordon has decided to study for his grade 1 Jazz Saxophone with the view of taking the exam next Spring. Jazz Exams involve improvisation which allows the musician to develop their creativity outside of the written sheet music.
This is a short clip of Gordons first attempt at Improvisation over a Grade 1 piece of music.
Josie started learning the clarinet in May 2021 but she has come on in leaps and bounds; especially over the last few weeks. Prior to deciding she wanted to learn the clarinet, she had no musical experience or confidence in herself. As well as learning the instrument, she has also had to learn how to read music, learn rhythms/timing etc. She has come so far in just 5 months and has been working really hard with her practice. A few weeks ago she decided to take a big step and made the decision to work towards taking her Grade 1 Classical Clarinet Exam. I think she has done amazingly well in such a short amount of time.
Chloe began playing the saxophone in April 2021 and although she has progressed in leaps and bounds, she had little confidence when it came down to improvisation. Improvisation does not come naturally to everyone, it can be really scary when you take away the dots and say play, the mind goes blank and it's really easy to lose confidence when the spotlight is on you. We spent a whole lesson building up to this video and now I'm proud to say that there is no stopping her. Chloe is looking to take her Grade 1 Jazz Sax exam in the summer of 2022
Flow is one of my Kaleo Music Studios Students, she is a Grade 8 Pianist and last year she decided to fulfil her ambition to learn the Saxophone. It's not easy to go from piano to Saxophone, just because you can play one instrument doesn't mean that you can play them all. When you play piano, you press a key and a tuneful note happens, with a woodwind instrument, not only do you have the challenge of making an inanimate object make a sound, you have to use your embouchure, diaphragm, breath control to make each and every note sound in tune and melodic. Anyone who plays a woodwind instrument will also know how unforgiving it is when your nervous, a piano doesn't squeak when you get an attack of the nerves. Flow is starting her Jazz Saxophone exams at grade 3 and here she is performing of her exam pieces ready for her exam in just over weeks time.
Flo pictured above proudly showing off her Grade 3 Jazz Sax Certificate
Josie & Chloe are soon to be taking their Grade 1 Exams. Josie is doing her Grade 1 Clarinet and Chloe is doing her Grade 1 Jazz Sax Exam. Classical Grades are accompanied by a backing track until you do your exam when the backing track is replaced by a pianist. Jazz Grades allow you to take a backing track into the exam but I do like to incorporate students grade pieces into the beginner jazz band repertoire where possible to give them extra practice for their exam and of course they get the bonus of practicing with a real life rhythm section. Below are 2 video's to show you how practice is going.
Josie Grade 1 Practice
Josie successfully passed her Grade 1 Clarinet with Merit in July 2022 and here she is proudly showing off her certificate
Chloe practicing her exam improvisation with the beginner jazz & blues band
Chloe successfully passed her Grade 1 Jazz Saxophone Exam with Distinction in July 2022 and here she is proudly showing off her certificate.
