Conservatorium van Amsterdam Department The main purpose of the Jazz programme is to educate young, gifted students to become strong, independent and original musicians, who can perform, teach and write and above all shape their own musical future. To enable them to do this in a highly competitive environment, we must be critical towards the students, but even more towards ourselves.

Ruud van Dijk, Vice-Director, Head of the Jazz and Popular Music Department Master’s Degree Programme

The Master’s degree is a two-year programme and is open to the most talented students. The plan of study serves as an important foundation for the course; here, the student outlines his/her own choice of specialist field and the way in which he/she plans to achieve this goal, thereby adopting a per- sonalized approach to the study programme. In addition to principal private lessons, Bachelor’s Degree students take electives, participate in ensembles and projects, and conduct an Programme individual research project.

Principal private lessons allow students to The 2 O’Clock and 5 O ‘Clock All instrumental and vocal principal subjects develop their technique, musicality and rehearse weekly. Several times a year, these are offered at the Master’s level. Additionally, improvisational skills. Subjects like ear train- are at the heart of interesting projects with the conservatory offers two specialist ing, analysis, harmony and music history leading arrangers and conductors from the Master’s programmes: help students to hone their creative ability and other countries such as and musical ear. The theory programme is Jim McNeely, Justin DiCioccio, Bert Joris, Composing for Film based on an approach focusing on the idiom Michael Abene and Nailor Proveta. The in collaboration with the Netherlands Film of jazz and jazz-related music, resulting in Concert Big Band performs regularly at venues and Television Academy a unique, practically oriented programme. in and outside the conservatory such as the A high-level Master’s degree programme Bimhuis and the North Sea Jazz Festival. for composers wishing to specialize in writ- Contemporary music is a main focus, as is ing music for film and other audio-visual the ensemble programme, which gives Students are given ample freedom to explore productions. students opportunities to build up practical their own personal interests and may play in experience, stimulates their creativity and more than one ensemble or focus on world Theatre Singer/Singer–Performer guarantees a seamless transition to the music, improvisation, live electronics, studio in collaboration with De Theaterschool professional world. As a result, graduates technique or subsidiary instruments related have no problem handling the various styles to their principal subject. They may also This new Master’s degree programme commonly associated with their instrument. elect to gain deeper insight into theory offers talented singers and theatre students There is a vast selection of ensembles from or education. the opportunity to further develop, explore which to choose: these include, on the one and specialize as theatre singers/singer- hand, the so-called style-specific ensembles The special combination of departments performers. like jazz octets, jazz trios with vocalist or at the Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor instrumental soloist, improvisation ensembles, de Kunsten allows students to become Joint European Master’s Programme big bands, flamenco, Latin rhythm sections, acquainted with other arts-related degree Additionally, the conservatory is currently Brazilian and various cross-over groups; programmes such as theatre, dance, film, developing a Joint European Master’s and, on the other hand, instrument-specific the visual arts and architecture. After their Programme in jazz performance in collabo- groups like guitar ensembles, bass guitar propaedeutic year, students can explore in ration with the Conservatoire National ensembles, saxophone ensembles, trombone greater depth many subjects via the other Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris ensembles and two jazz choirs. Later in the AHK departments. (France), Jazz-Institute Berlin (Germany), programme, students can also form their the Norwegian University of Science and own groups and choose a teacher to oversee Technology, Department of Music (Norway) the group. and Rhythmic Music Conservatory (Denmark).

pedagogy and an internship give students given free access to workshops and clinics programmes with Purchase College, State Artists in Residence insight into establishing a private teaching as part of the conservatory’s guest teachers University of New York, Manhattan School studio and working in music education in and projects programme. The bands perform of Music, New York, and Temple University The CvA has developed an outstanding general. To prepare future musicians for regularly at venues such as the Bimhuis and (Philadelphia), in addition to numerous Artist in Residence programme. For each the organizational and business aspects of Paradiso and at competitions and festivals exchange opportunities in Europe. department, an internationally acclaimed a rapidly changing professional world, a spe- like North Sea Jazz Festival. The conservatory also works with the Metro- guest gives clinics, workshops, masterclass- cial degree programme has been developed: pole Orchestra, the Bimhuis, the Dutch Jazz es and private lessons for one week at least The Entrepreneurial Artist, a programme for Orchestra and the Jazz Orchestra of the once each year. The week concludes with resourceful artists, much of which students Summer Jazz Concertgebouw. a concert given by the Artist in Residence can organize themselves to reflect their Workshop and the students. In addition to this, there own personal ambitions and career plans. is also an extensive one-day guest teacher Students may choose from three profiles, In July of each year, the CvA, in collabora- Facilities programme. Recent Artists in Residence the first focusing on private teaching, the tion with the Manhattan School of Music, include pianist Joey Calderazzo; trumpeter second on teaching mixed groups of students organizes the international Summer Jazz The new conservatory building is equipped Gerard Presencer; saxophonists Branford and the third on business and organiza- Workshop for professional jazz musicians. with excellent facilities including the Marsalis, Mark Turner and Miguel Zenón; tional aspects. Specialist guest teachers are For one week, the participants in the Amsterdam Blue Note – an attractive per- drummer Peter Erskine, and double bassist/ invited to teach a portion of the lessons. Summer Jazz Workshop are given lessons, formance venue designed specially for jazz arranger John Clayton. take part in workshops and masterclasses, and pop concerts –, acoustically balanced attend lectures and concerts, and are given practice rooms and state-of-the-art recording Junior Jazz College ample opportunity to play and jam with jazz studios. Career Preparation musicians from all over the world. The Young talented jazz musicians aged 12 to 18 lessons are given by teachers from the Thanks to our contacts in the world of may enrol in the Junior Jazz College, a joint Conservatorium van Amsterdam and the Keep an Eye Jazz Award broadcasting, at recording studios, in show initiative of the CvA and Muziekschool Manhattan School of Music under the direction business and new media, we can help Amsterdam. Students gain stage experience, of Justin DiCioccio. The Keep an Eye Jazz Award, a joint initiative students establish the contacts they need. learn to play as ensemble members and as of the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and Additionally, a special set of courses soloists, become familiar with the jazz reper- the Keep an Eye Foundation, is an annual prepares students for the business aspects toire and master their instrument. They also Partnerships ensemble competition alternately for jazz of the music industry. take theory and ear-training courses, which students who study at the Conservatorium thoroughly prepare them for the conserva- The Conservatorium van Amsterdam Jazz van Amsterdam and students from conser- Pedagogical subjects such as methodology, tory entrance examination. Students are Department has established exchange vatories throughout Europe. ‘I have had the pleasure of being a guest artist Faculty and conductor at the Amsterdam Conservatory for nine years, and have found that the students’ bass guitar saxophone Ruud van Dijk Charly Angenois Ferdinand Povel Vice-Director, Head of level of performance, interest, dedication, Jan Hollestelle Albert Beltman the Jazz & Popular Music commitment and energy are of the highest order. Theo de Jong Jasper Blom Department The Amsterdam Conservatory Jazz Program David de Marez Oyens Dick Oatts Bram Strijbis offers a wholly integrated jazz environment, Lené te Voortwis (regular guest teacher) Programme Coordinator Sigrid Paans comprising study, research, and immersing composition/arranging trombone/bass trombone Producer students in the aural jazz tradition and historical Jurre Haanstra Erik van Lier musical context and culture. This program is of Henk Huizinga Bert Boeren the utmost importance and relevance in today’s Martijn Sohier double bass Jilt Jansma musical world. ‘The Amsterdam Conservatory jazz Arnold Dooyeweerd Project’ as I call it, is setting a new standard for Frans van der Hoeven trumpet jazz performance, composition, musical knowledge Ruud Ouwehand Jan Oosthof and understanding in our comtemporary global Ernst Glerum Ruud Breuls society. I highly recommend the Amsterdam drums voice Conservatory Jazz program without any Gerhard Jeltes Frans Lambour reservation.’ Lucas van Merwijk Lydia van Dam Marcel Serierse Eileen Fiss Martijn Vink Sylvia Langelaan Justin DiCioccio, Gé Titulaer Assistant Dean Chairman Jazz Arts program guitar Annett Andriesen Manhattan School of Music Maarten van der Grinten Lieve Geuens Martijn van Iterson Josee Koning Peter Mingaars Eva Baggerman (choirs) Martien Oster Jesse van Ruller additional ensemble Henk Sprenger teachers Erik Vaarzon Morel Berend van den Berg (flamenco) Randal Corsen Yuri Honing percussion Ferial Karamat Ali Bart Fermie Tineke Postma Lucas van Merwijk research piano Walter van de Leur Karel Boehlee (Professor of Jazz and Rob van Bavel Improvised Music) Kris Goessens Hans Vroomans coordination of educational subjects theory of music and methodology Barbara Bleij Frits Heimans Photography: Clemens Kemme Daria Scagliola and Stijn Brakkee Henk Huizinga (page 3, 10); Hanne Nijhuis The Jazz Department at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam

What can you, as an up-and-coming musician, expect from a jazz school? You want to learn there how to swing and improvise even better than you do now. You should get support while finding your personal way of playing. And, after the final exam, you want to be ready to enter the highly competitive music business.

For all this, you won’t find a better place than the Conservatorium van Amsterdam – the Netherlands’ largest and most multifaceted school of music. ‘Jazz’ in Amsterdam means everything from to Afro-Cuban music and from r & b to fusion.

The Jazz Department stimulates students to be adventurous, all the while providing them with a solid technical and theoretical background.

In Amsterdam, musicians from various backgrounds are working hard for just one thing: to make you sound good.

Jeroen de Valk A jazz writer since the 70s, De Valk’s books have been published internationally.

Conservatorium van Amsterdam Oosterdokskade 151 1011 DL Amsterdam +31 20 5277550 [email protected] www.conservatoriumvanamsterdam.nl