GRADUATE

DIPLOMA
IN JAZZ

Course Handbook 2019 – 2020

GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN
JAZZ

The University of St Andrews is delighted to welcome you at the start of

your studies in Jazz. The University has a long association with practical
music - some of its earliest students were choral scholars in the college
chapel, and this tradition continues with a flourishing University Music
Centre helping to make musical activity amongst both staff and students
in the University as vigorous today as at any time in its history.

The Graduate Diploma in Jazz at St Andrews, now in its final year, has
formed part of a successful programme in continuing education and has
been found to supply an important and longfelt need. We hope that you
will find your work here and at home enjoyable and enriching.

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 Teaching Staf

Richard Ingham Honorary Professor of Jazz Education

Richard Ingham was Visiting Professor of Jazz at St Andrews for 15 years, and Fellow in
New Music and Composer in Residence. He works throughout Britain as a jazz educator
and consultant, has led major educational projects, and undertaken lecture tours of South-
East Asia and India; he led the Associated Board “Let’s Teach Jazz” programme in 2007-
08. He is a member of the Auricle Ensemble and has given recitals and masterclasses
throughout Europe and North America, India, China, Japan and Thailand. He toured
China in 2007 as conductor of the National Saxophone Choir. Since 2007 he has presented
a programme of jazz education in Aberdeenshire schools, funded by the Scottish Arts
Council through the Youth Music Initiative. He is a former Professor of Woodwind at
Leeds College of Music, and directed jazz studies at St Mary’s Music School, Edinburgh
for 20 years.

Richard Michael Honorary Professor of Jazz Piano

Richard Michael is Honorary Professor of Jazz Piano at the University of St Andrews, and
is one of Britain’s foremost and innovative jazz educators – he has directed Fife Youth
Jazz Orchestra since 1976, given piano classes at the prestigious New School in New York,
and has produced many jazz publications, including much of the Associated Board of the
Royal Schools of Music Jazz Piano examination material. He is now a freelance musician
working on Radio Scotland’s “JazzHouse” as the resident “Jargonbuster”, and has made
contributions to “Classics Unwrapped” and appeared with Phil Cunningham on BBC2’s
“Scotland’s Music”. Give him a theme and it’s impossible to stop him improvising on it!
Richard was the winner of the education category in the UK Parliamentary Jazz Awards
2009. He received a Bank of Scotland Herald Angel Award for his jazz piano history
recital during the 2010 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

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 Notes and General Guidance

Travel to St Andrews
St Andrews is on the A91 north of Edinburgh. It is served by express bus
services from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. The nearest railway
station is Leuchars, five miles away, from which there is a regular bus
service. The taxi fare from Leuchars is about £14. St Andrews is always
busy and parking can be difficult in the main streets.

Accommodation and Meals

The University does not have cafeteria or residential facilities available
to occasional students during the academic session. If you require to
stay in St Andrews while you are here there are a wide variety of
hostelries to choose from. I would advise you to book a room prior to
your arrival. You can contact the Tourist Information office on telephone
01334 472021. A map of St Andrews is enclosed for your information.

Payment of Fees
The initial enrolment fee is £100, payable by 1st September 2019. This is non-
returnable and covers the cost of attending the first study day. It is thus
possible to use the first study day as a ‘trial’ and participants who, for
whatever reason, find the course unsuitable, are not liable for any further
payment. Participants who do not wish to continue on the course must
inform the Course Co-ordinator in writing within 7 days or will be liable for
the full amount. The first instalment of the remainder of the fee, £225, is
payable on the first study day, and the last instalment, also of £225 on the
second study day. Cheques should be made payable to ‘The University of St
Andrews’, and we also accept credit and debit cards. Payment can also be
made via our online shop using the following link: http://onlineshop.st-
andrews.ac.uk/browse/extra_info.asp?
compid=1&modid=1&deptid=23&catid=256&prodvarid=324

Contact Days
Contact days are additional occasions when students on the course can
seek advice and guidance from tutors on the work that they have been
doing at home. To ensure that sufficient arrangements are made for
numbers, it is essential that students book in for contact days with the
course director not later than one week in advance. There is no
additional charge.
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Award of Graduate Diplomas
Graduate Diplomas will be awarded to successful students by post.

General Information
You will be asked to complete a questionnaire for the university’s
Academic Registry, and you will also have the option of applying for a
matriculation card in order to access the library and other facilities.

Please bring your own instrument (apart from a piano of course!). If it

requires an amplifier, you will have to bring that as well. It may be
useful to bring paper, pens and manuscript to the Study Day.

If for any reason you are unable to attend a Study Day please let the
Course Co-ordinator know as soon as possible.

The university cannot accept any responsibility for articles stolen from
or damaged on its premises. In 2019 classes will be held at the Music
Centre, Younger Hall, North St, St Andrews, and parking is available
along the street. In 2020 classes will be held at the Laidlaw Music Centre,
Queens Terrace, St Andrews.

Please do be vigilant and security conscious at all times.

Please familiarise yourself with the Fire Action procedures for the
building. There are notices throughout. Please do not leave equipment
in passageways.

If you require a first aider, contact the Office staff in the first instance.

Coffee, tea and biscuits are supplied during the Study and Contact days
at no extra cost.

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Further information and advice can be obtained from Carol Evans at the
Music Centre, email: jazz courses@st-andrews.ac.uk

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 Assessment

There will be a formal assessment based on the memorised jazz standards. A

submitted transcription with commentary will also be assessed.

Students may also enter for the award of special Graduate Diploma
Endorsements as follows:

1. Performance – the student will be expected to present a performance

of two contrasting pieces (maximum duration 10 minutes).

Assessment Criteria: Stylistic awareness, use of appropriate harmonic

language, creativity in the improvised line, thoughtful structure, ensemble
discipline and interaction, programme balance.

2. Dissertation – 4,000 words on an approved historical or analytical

topic.

Assessment Criteria: Clarity of exposition and argument, supporting musical

illustrations and references as appropriate, structure.

3. Jazz pedagogy – a report, supported by video or audio evidence, on a

jazz teaching project undertaken during the year by the student.

Assessment Criteria: Clarity in presentation of aims and results.

4. Keyboard Skills: comping over standard changes, one number chosen

by the student from a list given on Study Day 3.

Assessment Criteria: Harmonic awareness, effective voicings,

maintenance of pulse.

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 Timetable 2019-20

STUDY DAY 1
Sunday 29 September 2019

10.30am Coffee/Administration

11am – 1pm Standard repertoire

Development of a dynamic library
Practice techniques

1 – 2pm Lunch break

2pm Introduction to Endorsement options

Harmonic conceptions
Understanding jazz through the keyboard
Performance class

5.30pm Study Day ends

Contact Day 1
Sunday 13 October 2019, 10am - 2pm

STUDY DAY 2
Sunday 3 November 2019

10.30am Coffee/Administration

11.30 – 1pm Performance class – review

Structure and creativity
Ensemble discipline

1 – 2pm Lunch break

2pm Employment as a jazz musician

Teaching jazz
Promoting jazz events
Transcription and analysis
Performance class

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5.30pm Study Day ends

Contact Day 2
Saturday 18 January 2020, 10am – 2pm

STUDY DAY 3
Sunday 9 February 2020

10.30am Coffee/Administration

11.30 – 1pm Performance review

Contemporary jazz performance
Practice techniques

1 – 2pm Lunch break

2pm Historical appreciation

Arranging techniques
Performance class

5.30pm Study Day ends

Contact Day 3
Sunday l5 March 2020, 10am – 2pm

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STUDY WEEKEND

Saturday 30 May 2020

1.30pm Tea/Administration

2.00–4.00pm Performance rehearsals

4.30-6.30pm Performance rehearsals

7.00-9.00pm Performance rehearsals

Sunday 31 May 2020

9.30am Jazz in Scotland Today – Pauline Black

10.30am Coffee

11am Performance rehearsals

Keyboard assessments

1 – 2pm Lunch break

2pm Performance Endorsement assessments

5pm Course ends

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