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 Sheila Jordan and Jay Clayton
"There's a certain beautiful spirit that I don't find at any other jazz camp."
Sheila Jordan
summer faculty member
Dave Stryker
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Areas of Study
 The Vermont Jazz Center's Summer Workshop offers three study tracks:
- Instrumental Jazz
- Vocal Jazz
- Jazz Composition and Arranging
INSTRUMENTAL JAZZ
- Open to musicians of all instruments, this program focuses on how to improvise and interpret jazz music on one's instrument. Participants will learn:
- Jazz theory and its application to improvisation- daily theory classes are tailored to inform each student depending on their individual level.
- Application of Jazz Concepts onto their own instruments in Jazz Master-classes offered daily by mentors of their instrument.
- Performance Skills by participating in daily faculty-coached ensembles that put theory into practice.
- Aspects of the Jazz Life by participating in jam sessions, attending listening sessions and sharing experiences with other participants and Faculty who live "on campus.
The Instrumental Program's Faculty include Helmut Kagerer (guitar), Claire Arenius, (drums), Steve Johns (drums), Pete Yellin (saxophones), Jamie MacDonald (bass), Howard Brofsky (brass), Marcus McLaurine (bass) and Harvey Diamond (piano).
VOCAL JAZZ:
Jay Clayton and Peter Eldridge, Co-directors
- The Vermont Jazz Center welcomes Peter Eldridge of New York Voices to our faculty to substitute for Sheila Jordan (who will be touring in Italy with her string quartet). Peter will join our established and beloved vocal instructor Jay Clayton who is known for her creative use of sound, excellent pitch, experimental tendencies and driving sense of swing. Together they will establish an environment where singers can explore and develop their own personal voices while they learn skills such as:
- Working with a professional rhythm section
- Interpreting songs in an authentic jazz style
- Creating high quality lead sheets in one's own key
- Learning how and when to scat sing
- Using creative syllables and body drum sounds
- Attaining an individual sound while honoring the tradition
Vocalists will also attend Jazz Theory classes, one of which will focus on transposition.
- COMPOSITION & ARRANGING:
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- Gene Rush, professor emeritus from the University of Memphis, guides composers in both the nuts and bolts of composition and arranging and the "big picture" that is necessary for creating works of integrity and substance. This program will include specific classes in composition and arranging, giving participants an opportunity to hone their skills in a practical way.
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- Participants will meet one on one with Professor Rush to examine their compositions and refine their skills in an individualized setting.
EVENING JAMS:
Jam sessions are an integral part of jazz education and the evolution of the jazz experience. Every evening there are instrumental and vocal jam sessions that give students and faculty the opportunity to play together in an informal setting. A feature of the VJC is that students and faculty come together and play music in a relaxed environment unfettered by class schedules.
LISTENING HOUR:
Each day, after lunch, a Faculty member will present a selection of his or her favorite CDs, or will play live for the members of the workshop. In this way, we again reinforce the legacy of jazz and pay tribute to its master performers.
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