Ask a classical musician to improvise and the likely response will range from “What’s wrong with the score?” to “I don’t play jazz”, reflecting a fairly typical attitude: one in which improvisation is held to have little or no connection with the performance of art-music. This work argues the contrary.

The idea is to combine business and pleasure: i.e. the use of know-how (structural, stylistic, textural and harmonic awareness) with real-time flow and creative spontaneity, flow & confidence, risk-taking and communicativity. Active listening, “links” between the inner ear and the actual result as well as awareness of parameters of emotional expression and body language in the context of musical communication (using video) are also important components of the course work. (The Interpretation through Improvisation course has been running at the London Guildhall as well as the Yehudi Menuhin School for the last 15 years, and recently at the Juilliard School, as seminars).

In a nutshell:
Two main directions are explored in parallel.
The first: extemporising in different styles and forms, usually with at least one other partner, in order to encourage active listening and gain an authentic feel in real-time for stylistic, harmonic and structural issues.

The second direction: Looking for several possible reductions of repertoire works (based on harmonic and motivic rhythm), performing these reductions and later improvising on them as one searches for an interpretation. The work consists of exploring different possible reductions and their interpretational meanings. An important part of the work is a juxtaposition of a reduction with the actual text. This is achieved by inviting two players (or groups), to work simultaneously on the same piece.

No previous experience is needed.

Written by David Dolan

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