Who is this class for? — Our jazz improvisation class is created for adults high school age and beyond with a minimum foundational knowledge of how to build a major scale. It will be helpful to know what whole steps, half steps, and major and minor triads are. You are also passionate about learning how to express yourself on your instrument in real time!

Course Description — This course understands and addresses the hesitations and uncertainties that often accompany the idea of improvisation. Throughout the semester, you’ll gain invaluable musicianship tools to liberate your musicality. Step-by-step, we’ll guide you through hands-on exercises crafted to build your confidence in improvisation. Elevate your theory, harmony, and ear-training skills, all while nurturing your innate creativity. By the end of the class, you will have a solid toolkit of skills to improvise joyfully and confidently.

Educator Bio — As an engaging jazz pianist, composer, and music educator, Carmen Sandim combines harmonically sophisticated post-bop with traditions from her native Brazil. Originally from Sao Paulo, Sandim studied music at Boston’s Berklee College of Music and the University of Colorado. Sandim first gained attention in the 2000s after moving to Boulder, Colorado. Her debut album, 2011’s “Brand New”, features cornetist Ron Miles. In 2016, she won a grant from Pathways to Jazz to record her sophomore album, “Play-Doh”, released in 2019 via Ropeadope Records. Carmen’s latest project “Mini Brazilian Beasts”, released in 2022 on Octave Records, features jazz luminaries Ron Miles and Gilad Hekselman. Carmen currently lives in Denver and teaches at the Metropolitan State University of Denver and University of Colorado Denver.

When & Where — This course will have 8 sessions Saturdays Sept 21 – November 16, 2024, with no class Oct 19.
Class time 12:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Graduation performance TBD.

Early Bird Pricing — The early bird rate of $225 is available until the end of the day August 30. Standard pricing of $240 begins Aug 31.

LEARN IMPROVISATION — REGISTER HERE