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Jazz (Continued)

Jazz Open Day - Please check www.ram.ac.uk for details

Gerard Presencer Hon ARAM

(Picture: Photo of Gerard Presencer)

Trumpet soloist. In continual demand on the international circuit, Gerard has recorded and soloed with Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Ray Charles, Sting and James Brown. Winner of the British Jazz Awards trumpet category in 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2002. Head of Brass at JIB (Jazz Institute Berlin).

The Course

The Academy offers an ideal environment to learn and experiment with this extremely broad art form. There is a strong emphasis on performance with opportunities to play within the college and outside. The course benefits from small numbers, enabling each year to form a group that will play together extensively. The interaction between players can therefore develop to a level where lifelong musical associations are formed. Some of the finest jazz performers have been great composers, from John Coltrane to Kenny Wheeler. We aim to continue this tradition with a full and varied course in composition and arranging—covering many aspects and forms of jazz music and possible applications within other genres. We aim that, by graduation, you will have found your own creative voice and begun to develop this.

We bring in performers from the world jazz scene, as often as possible, to play with students. The course is committed to continual development in order to remain as vital as possible in this ever-changing art form.

The department runs a four-year BMus programme, a nine-month Postgraduate Diploma and a 1–2 year MMus programme, and a new two year Jazz Diploma: a two year vocational qualification for talented students who do not wish to study for four years.

Your Audition

Detailed requirements are available at www.ram.ac.uk and from the Registry. You will need to demonstrate proficiency in your chosen idiom(s), including instrumental technique, improvisation, sight reading and ability to relate to an accompanying group of current students. See p.56 for general details.

TheTeachers

Trumpet
Gerard Presencer
John Barclay
Nick Smart
PatrickWhite

Trombone
Mark Bassey

Tuba
Oren Marshall

Saxophone
Martin Speake
Iain Ballamy
Andy Panayi
Tim Garland
Julian Siegel
Jean Toussaint

Piano
Tom Cawley
NickWeldon
Nikki Iles
HuwWarren
Gwilym Simcock

Guitar
Ed Speight
Dave Cliff
Mike Outram

Drum Kit
Martin France
Trevor Tomkins Hon ARAM

Vibes
Anthony Kerr

Voice
Kathleen Willison
Tina May

Bass (electric and acoustic)
Jeff Clyne Hon ARAM
Michael Mondesir
Laurence Cottle
Duncan Hopkins
Paul Westwood
Michael Janisch

Flute
Andy Panayi

Small Ensembles
Tutors reflect the diversity of the jazz scene and recently have included Hans Koller, Billy Jenkins, Pete Wareham, Alcyona Mick, Sebastiaan Cornelissen and Mark Sanders.

Composition
Peter Churchill

Aural & Transcription
Tom Cawley BMus

Computer Techniques

Visiting Composers
Various including Django Bates, Kenny Wheeler, Peter Erskine, Julian Argüelles, Hans Koller, Robert Mitchell and Stan Tracey

World Rhythms
Barak Schmool MA, GRSM, LRAM

History
Jeff Clyne Hon ARAM
Keith Nichols GGSM, Hon ARAM
Martin Speake LTCL, FTCL
Trevor Tomkins Hon ARAM

Associate Jazz Artists
John Taylor
Karl-Heinz Miklin
John Surman
Michael Gibbs
Ronan Guilfoyle
John Abercrombie
Bernard Purdie

2006– 2007 Highlights
Workshops with FLY, Chris Potter, Tom Rainey and Hans Koller.
Big Band performance of Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concerts.
Big Band project with Kenny Wheeler Latin Jazz Big Band in collaboration with the percussion department.
Double-Bill: Stompin’ at the Savoy and Gerry Mulligan at the Village Vanguard.
Regular weekly slot at Ronnie Scott’s Weekly jazz sessions in the Academy.
Big Band project on the music for Thad Jones and Mel Lewis with Jiggs Whigham.

Recent Student Successes
Prize-winners at Perrier Young Jazz Competition ‘97, ‘98, ‘99 and ‘01. Finalists at the Montreux International Guitar Competition, 2006

Graduates since 2002 include
Adam Betts, drums; John Blease, drums and percussion; Ben Bryant, drums and percussion; Pete Cochrane, bass; John Escreet, piano; George Hart, drums; Jasper Hoiby, bass; Tom Mason, bass; Gwilym Simcock, piano; Richard Turner, trumpet; Trevor Walker, trumpet.