About Junior Academy Jazz
The Junior Jazz course at the Royal Academy of Music was established in 2003 to help to develop students of school age with a strong interest in jazz.
Course tutors - Gareth Lockrane & Matt Anderson
Junior jazz course patron - Dave Holland
Junior Academy Jazz Description
The Junior Jazz course at the Royal Academy of Music was set up in 2004 by Nick Smart and has been run by Gareth Lockrane since 2011 and is a program for the UK's finest young jazz musicians between the ages of 14-18. There are 3 combos from beginner to advanced level, ranging from sextet to tentet sizes depending on the year's intake. The course is dedicated to an all-embracing approach to jazz and its many related styles and genres, including developing and broadening the improvisational skills of the students first and foremost, learning core repertoire by ear alongside more contemporary material, transcribing and learning solos, developing the composing and arranging skills of the students, and small group and big band ensemble playing. Visiting tutors and masterclasses have in recent years included such modern jazz luminaries as Dave Holland, Jason Rebello, Peter King, Soweto Kinch, Tim Garland, Jean Toussaint, Julian Siegel, Stan Sulzmann, Mike Walker, Norma Winstone, Gareth Williams, Jim Mullen and the course patron, Kenny Wheeler, all of whom have performed their own music alongside the students. The track record of students getting places at the best music colleges and beyond is very strong; previous and current members of the course include recent BBC Young Jazz finalists Jake Labazzi, Tom Smith, Sean Payne and Freddie Jensen; as well as established UK musicians Kit Downes, Freddie Gavita, Michael Kiwanuka, Josh Blackmore, George Hogg, Tom Walsh and many more.