Fearless Improvising for Everyone

Day & Time: Thursdays, 4:00 - 5:30 pm
Start Date: September 17, 2026
Instructor(s): John Clark
Location: Vermont Jazz Center
Tuition: FREE

Some people are actually inhibited by their musical training: they feel able to play only by following a conductor, with sheet music, or by playing back music they have heard. We all have music within us, but sometimes it is blocked. We don’t believe we can improvise, or we are told we can’t. The aim of this workshop is to enable people to get in touch with the music within them. I suggest achieving this through demonstration and by encouraging self-expression. The workshop can include people from different backgrounds, ages, instruments, and styles. Perhaps someone has been a classical musician for a long time and has only played to precise instructions. At the other end of the spectrum, some musicians surrender to chaotic sounds without regard for how it actually sounds.

“If it sounds good, it is good.” ~Duke Ellington

Workshop participants must be moderately proficient on at least one instrument; the sky is the limit in terms of instrumentation, with the possible exception of instruments with limited pitch (e.g., bagpipes, sitar). However, perhaps even these could play a role! Participants must be willing to listen. Guided, intensive listening will be a major element of the program, as will improvisation and discussion. It is not uncommon to describe music as artistic, but what does that mean? We have all heard music we don’t like, but can’t always say why. In this workshop, people are encouraged to create something that makes sense to them. Participants can take different paths, and we will exchange feedback, as peer review can be useful. The overall goals will be to compose pieces, engage in intensive listening and analysis, and present a concert. The project can encompass many musical styles, although the basic orientation will emerge from the jazz tradition. We will explore different ways of structuring improvisation. Example: A classical musician says they “can’t” improvise. I might ask them to play a section of any classical piece and then repeat it, changing every aspect of it (duration/key/tempo/feel). We will make audio and/or video recordings of our sessions so we can evaluate our progress.

Please contact the instructor directly if you have any questions:

John Clark jtcsr1@gmail.com