PAGE THREE: THE WORKSHOPS

"ECHOES OF THE SHTETL" WORKSHOPS

Roland will be offering two workshops, "Jazz Improvisation" and "Jazz Composition", in association with The Jewish Connection live performances.

The students will come away with an introduction to very concrete methods and exercises to improve their musicianship, as jazz improvisers and/or jazz composers. They will also have had the joyful experience of playing with the top musicians who comprise Roland Perrin's ensemble. "Echoes of the Shtetl" performances that follow on from the workshops will be appreciated all the more for having had an insight into the processes going on in the music.

WORKSHOP ONE: "JAZZ IMPROVISATION"

Roland has developed his own tried and tested method in workshops he has led over the past twenty years.  He teaches how to improvise over the structure of a song’s chord sequence using his own melodic process (the connecting of arpeggios, with incorporating diatonic and chromatic passing notes).  Roland’s system replaces the usual (modal) approach traditionally employed by jazz teachers.   Roland’s method also teaches the development of a wide rhythmic vocabulary – something essential to really sound jazzy. Here is one student’s testimonial (with more at the end of this page):

“Roland Perrin's style of delivery, and unique teaching materials, have enabled me to realise previously unachieved styles of playing, understand what I need to practise in order to further develop my technical ability, and appreciate certain aspects of music theory at a deeper level.” 
(Roger Baptiste, Performance Degree student, LCCM)

In the first half of the workshop the Roland Perrin Ensemble demonstrates the concepts being taught.  Handouts and specific practice routines, developed by Roland, are used.

In the second half the students are invited to join with the band and to try out the ideas, playing with the ensemble in a highly guided way.

WORKSHOP TWO: "JAZZ COMPOSITION"
The seemingly paradoxical situation of being a jazz composer is discussed. 

Different ways to fuse improvisation and written material are demonstrated and the students work through on-the-spot compositional exercises,  played by Roland Perrin Ensemble.

Roland has been developing handouts and exercises for twenty years. The concepts taught in the workshop are backed up with handouts and specific exercises to enable the student to continue with the learning. 

"FINDING YOUR OWN VOICE"

The issue of finding your own voice is discussed and incorporated as a very important later stage of both the improvisation or composition workshops.


MORE STUDENT TESTIMONIALS

“Roland’s interactive teaching approach helped me to make a lot of progress.  I now have a structured approach with which to learn and play new pieces independently in a number of different styles.” (Simon Brown)

“Roland has found a way of communicating complex questions in a simple and direct way. He is extremely attentive to the needs of his students and leaves them inspired and wanting to come back for more.”  (Stephen Ayme)

“I took Roland's Jazz Piano courses at Morley College.  I was exposed to a deeper level of music theory through jazz piano that I had not known from studying classical piano.  Roland provided studying materials which set a foundation of understanding jazz piano as well as detail step by step exercises throughout the curriculum that helped improve on my playing.  Roland's witty sense of humour had also made attending the class an enjoyable experience.” (Diana Ng)

“Roland Perrin is a great teacher of jazz piano and improvisation. He has a remarkable ability of pinpointing the key blocks to my development, and the approaches that will help overcome them, and makes it seem like a mutual journey of discovery.” (Richard Williams)

"Roland's jazz piano course at Morley College has provided me with a stepwise introduction to playing jazz which has enabled me to gain a confidence I did not have before" (Geoff Higgs)