Award-winning initiative Jazz Camp for Girls returned to Leeds Conservatoire on Saturday 2 March.
Jazz Camp for Girls 2024. Photo credit throughout: Karen Gourlay
Since its introduction to the UK by Jazz North in 2019, Jazz Camp for Girls has continued to grow, reaching more places across the North of England and helping to address the gender imbalance in jazz.
22 female and nonbinary musicians, aged between 8 and 15, were welcomed to Leeds Conservatoire on 2 March to experience jazz music and improvisation in a supportive environment. Thanks to support from Arts Council England and Leeds Music Education Partnership, the conservatoire was able to offer free places to individuals studying or living in Leeds.
The day was a collaborative venture between Leeds Junior Conservatoire and the conservatoire’s School of Music and Education. It was delivered by a talented team comprised of staff members Caroline Webb, Chris Sharkey, John Garner, Mike De Souza and Sophie Speed, plus students Anna Ross, Ella Playford and Emma Swanson who are studying on the conservatoire’s undergraduate Jazz programme. The team led sessions on a variety of skills including improvisation, rhythm and groove building, composition, performance techniques, and covering jazz repertoire.
Following introductions and ice-breaker questions exploring inspiration, musical interests and discussing some of the great female role models in jazz, the day long course began with group warm-ups and creating an arrangement of the jazz standard ‘C Jam Blues.’ The participants then split into three groups where they began creating their own compositions and improvising with groove-based accompaniments. After lunch, a virtual meet-up took place, involving all camps running across the North of England, and participants were able to hear what other locations had been working on.
Participant feedback was very positive, and they were happy to share what they had learned and enjoyed about Jazz Camp for Girls. Feedback included the following:
“I loved experiencing new music and learning a new genre with new people.”
Lilia, 15
“Jazz is not about playing notes, it’s about having fun.”
Isla, 10
“I’ve enjoyed learning the blues because it’s something I’ve never done before!”
Meredith, 11
“I’ve enjoyed the freedom to mess around with notes and not be restricted by sheet music.”
Leah, 13
“It’s been exciting and fun and helped me learn about different types of music.”
Olivia, 9
“I’ve learnt a lot about jazz. I didn’t know I could play jazz on the violin, and I learnt the blues scale. I’ve loved everything and enjoyed myself a lot.”
Angela, 8
“It’s a really supportive environment, especially for improvisation which sometimes I struggle with.”
Olta, 15
“This isn’t just jazz, it’s life.”
Alexandra, 12
Following the virtual meet-up, participants watched Generation Big Band rehearse in The Venue, Leeds Conservatoire’s state-of-the art, 350 seat auditorium. This was a great opportunity to hear a different style of jazz music, as well as witness a live performance from Leeds Conservatoire students and graduates, alongside Leeds Junior Conservatoire musicians.
The day concluded with a performance to family and friends, where participants showcased their fantastic arrangements and compositions from the day.
Head of Leeds Junior Conservatoire, Karen Gourlay, described the day itself, and everyone involved, as “inspirational” and added the following:
“Opportunities to explore creative work in a supportive and nurturing environment are so important for musicians developing their craft. It was lovely to see returning students from previous jazz camps too. I was so impressed with the approach of the young people and the way they engaged with the day. They all received a well-deserved round of applause at the end.”
