August 10th - August 14th 2009

"A life changing experience

Admission requires no audition, just a strong commitment to learning improvisational jazz. At a minimum, however, beginners must have basic music knowledge.  If you want to be placed at a specific level,we need placement auditions either in person or by tape.  This enables all students to be in their appropriate level class. Class assignments are done prior to the first day.

The week long OSPAC Jazz Festival Summer Workshop now in its 7th year, offers students of all ages and abilities the opportunity to study with an internationally renown faculty of jazz musicians and to perform at The Oskar Schindler Performing Arts Center which is located on 4 acres of a beautiful land in West Orange, NJ.

Talented musicians, (13 and up) high school, college age and older will have the opportunity to learn from the masters. The students will be immersed in all aspects of performance. This program emphasizes the mastery of playing and singing skills in jazz and world music. Our goal is to improve the students’ musicianship, inspire and help facilitate creativity, enable students to communicate with the band, play in different styles, and learn repertoire, harmony, improvisation and rhythm. Students who attend the workshop will improve in their chosen style of music with a greater appreciation for all types of music, whether it be it is jazz, rock and roll, pop, funk, fusion, or R&B and hip hop. Students will receive individual attention to help improve their skills. This workshop is one the students will remember for years to come.

Vocalists will also have the opportunity to sing with a rhythm section, improve their voice, be part of a accapella choir, learnrepertoire, singing in different styles including swing, blues, ballads, samba and waltz. They will also study sight singing/theory, percussion and sing on the OSPAC stage.