EDUCATION WORKSHOPS FOR SCHOOLS

The music that can be heard on this page is Jambalaya by Ken Colyer's Omega Brass Band, recorded in London on 8th September 1957. Ken Colyer, Sonny Morris and Bob Wallis, trumpets; Ian Wheeler, clarinet; Mac Duncan and Mick Clift, trombones; Dave Keir, alto sax; Derek Easton, tenor sax; Maurice "Mo" Benn, tuba; Colin Bowden, snare drum; Neil Millet, bass drum. Originally issued on Decca 10" LP Marching Back To New Orleans" and re-issued on Lake CD LACD21 of the same title.

A workshop at Exeter College, Oxford University (left) and a workshop at Pangbourne College

We provide a platform for New Orleans jazz in schools as a counter to the dominance of received musical forms (which now includes rock music as well as classical). The strategy is to demonstrate the music by means of workshop-style performances.
These workshops can be tailor-made to suit any school that is interested; not necessarily for schools with a strong music programme, but for any school where teachers feel that it might be interesting and exciting for the students to learn about this music which was the catalyst for all modern music from ragtime, strict tempo dance, rock and pop. New Orleans jazz has also had a great influence on modern classical composers.
We have conducted many workshops in all parts of the country at primary, comprehensive and grammar schools and also at private schools and colleges.
To assist in the funding of the workshops we ask that the schools make a donation towards our costs. This can be a small sum, which rises dependent upon the circumstances of individual schools. Residual costs are paid for from our education fund. Obviously, the more schools are able to contribute, the more of them we are able to visit.

Band

The Trust maintains a close relationship with The Ken Colyer Legacy New Orleans Jazz Band, a fully professional band which is a separate entity playing music in the New Orleans idiom.
If this band is unavailable, we maintain a pool of musicians who are interested in our education project and who have previously worked with us. Some are music teachers by profession.

Content

Great care has been taken to devise a course that succeeds in imparting some basic knowledge and understanding of early jazz. The presentation takes the following format, varied only to suit available time and ages of students: a talk followed by a demonstration using a selection of jazz pieces to show the principles of swing and how the instruments relate to each other. Students then disperse into workshops of varying size and content, dependent upon numbers attending.

Schools

We have organised workshops for numerous schools including:

Pangbourne College
Brighton College
St George's Primary School, Battersea
St John's Primary School, Redhill
Saundersfoot
(a general workshop for local schools)
Bishop Perowne High School, Worcs
Southend School
(a general workshop for local schools)
New Mills School, Derbyshire

Testimonials

'Thank you for arranging such a wonderful day at St George's. The children thoroughly enjoyed listening to New Orleans jazz and watching talented musicians playing their instruments. The staff, too, thought you gave us a brilliant day. We really enjoyed the band's music and the company of you all'.

'It was great to be able to play alongside musicians that I admire so much, some of the best'.

'Thank you all very much for giving us the opportunity to experience such an entertaining and productive day'.

'Thank you for coming in and showing us your jazz stuff it was fab! I liked the saxophone best because it was loud and good. I never knew that you didn't use music you just made it up'.

'Really enjoyed your performance in our music lesson. I never really liked jazz but I like it loads now. Your instruments were brilliant'.

'Thanks for coming to our school. I've learnt loads about jazz music and New Orleans. The thing I learnt most about was all the different mutes, which changed the sound of the instrument. I really liked the front line but the back line were still cool'.

For further information about EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS please contact:
Peter Hunter Education Co-ordinator
Tel/Fax: 01892 530565 Email:captphunter@talktalk.net

Trust members, their friends and other members of the public are welcome at the concerts