A January visit to the Jazz Education Network convention in Dallas, Texas reaffirmed how many different ways there are of thinking about music, and how many different teachers, and students, are taking the bull by the horns to find their own way of doing this.

I was invited to give a class on generating ideas–composing new musical thoughts to provoke new creative output for yourself and for the musicians around you. It’s a way of working that I like because a.) it is so much a part of what I continue to do in my own practice, and b.) it gives me a chance to hear how a wide range of musicians reacts and what ideas they come up with. I am always pleasantly surprised at the music that comes out of these situations. Aside from simple happiness at working on music, these sessions are great because they are about encouraging everyone to get to those ideas that are inside all of us. A small group from Brigham Young University agreed to both write and play–a daunting challenge in front of a live audience, and one they rose to in exciting ways.

February 8 and 9, 2014, I am going to give a workshop on generating and composing ideas independently in Brooklyn, NY. Please come sign up at workshop@greenleafmusic.com.

We will be writing and playing our own new music. We’ll talk about coming up with musical ideas, setting them down for other musicians to play. We’ll talk about incorporating the strengths of the players through interpretation and improvisation. Then we will play them and work towards revising, extending and making finished, presentable pieces. We’ll talk about how to continue this process and how to form and maintain a composers workshop.

RSVP at workshop@greenleafmusic.com

UPDATE: The Workshop has been filled up. Keep your eyes on our blog for information on the next. Thanks!

The sessions are three hours each day, from 1pm to 4pm. Bring music paper and pencils. Bring your computer if you prefer to write in Sibelius or Finale. Bring your instrument. Sessions are $60 each or $100 for both. Best if people come to both as we will be progressing through different phrases. But I realize it is a busy time and am happy to have people come either day.

The sessions will be at The Loove in Williamsburg: 58 North 6th Street. There is a piano, amps, drums, etc.

Thank you.