Call & Response
A weekly workshop for beginning improvisors led by Leo Auri. The workshop will be concerned with two themes: “Questions of Beginning Improvisors”, and “Experiencing Sound”. The workshop will also aim at giving the participants “Building Blocks” – ways of understanding melody, harmony, rhythm and group playing which can be reapplied in different situations.
The workshop is open for anyone with a medium familiarity with the notes on their instrument and rhythmic notation, who wants an introduction to improvisation concepts, and the opportunity to develop these skills in a friendly group atmosphere.
An Improvisation Workshop?
Improvising can be rewarding, bringing an opportunity for creative expression and good feelings – and everybody has the capability to do it. But it can be scary to begin. You are, after all, exposing yourself to others in a new way. A group with a cooperative spirit can be a supportive environment for developing new skills and help to overcome this fear barrier. And you are sure to learn something new when everybody brings their ideas!
Analyse, Intuit
There are many questions in mind at the beginning of improvising, amongst others, “What should I play?”. A question like this needs to be explored and developed, rather than simply answered. One approach we take is to have a go at different theoretical approaches, for example relating to note choice, rhythmic exercises, or understanding harmonic structures. But we also consider our body awareness, using mirroring and repetition exercises with others, and other experiments as an approach to the question.
Leo Auri
Leo Auri is a musician, composer, music teacher and group leader. He studied jazz performance and pedagogy at the University of Adelaide/Elder Conservatory. He believes that everyone deserves music, not just those who are in a position to devote everything to it.
