Approaches to Improvisation Workshop

Minnesota Jazz Education

Improve and inspire your improvisation skills by exploring a diverse range of techniques and approaches.

High School for Recording Arts

Minnesota Jazz Education (MN JazzEd) presents this FREE in-person improvisation workshop for high school musicians on Saturday, October 9 12-2pm at High School for Recording Arts. Register by Saturday, October 2 to secure your spot.ABOUT THE WORKSHOPProfessional musicians and improvisers Liz Draper and Tasha Baron are offering this all-access workshop on improvisation, composition and spontaneous composition. We will explore everything from modal and chordal and blues jazz improvisation to new music classical improvisation and contemporary avant garde styles. Prior experience improvising is NOT required. Many musicians have hangups and insecurities when thinking about improvising. We understand and empathize with this. We believe everyone has something they can offer as a musician and artistic creator, and that there are many ways to create music and improvise. We aim to untap and engage students' creativity and offer a safe space to explore many approaches to making music and collaborating with others. ELIGIBILITY: All participants must be enrolled in high school (online or in-person), with previous experience playing in band, orchestra, choir, rock bands or jazz ensembles.VACCINATIONS REQUIRED FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS: To ensure the safety of students and teachers, all participating students must be fully-vaccinated by the day of the workshop. Proof of vaccinated will be required for at check in.With questions, please contact MN JazzEd Executive Director, Katia Cardenas at info@mnjazzed.org. This workshop is made possible thanks to a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council.ABOUT THE CLINICIANS

Liz DraperClassically and jazz-trained versatile bassist, has performed, recorded and/or toured internationally with such groups as the Grammy Award-winning Okee Dokee Brothers, Soul Asylum, Charlie Parr, The Rose Ensemble, Ben Weaver, Orkestar Bez Ime, and Davina and the Vagabonds. A professional musician since age 16, Liz has performed in an astonishing array of musical genres and ensembles, from jazz and classical to folk, metal, improvisational, experimental, Balkan, and chamber strings.Liz holds a Bachelor of Music in Double Bass Performance from the University of Minnesota and has studied at The School For Improvised Music in Brooklyn, New York. She was awarded a 2019 fellowship through Giant Steps Music Action Women, a partnership with the University of San Francisco.

Tasha Baron Tasha Baron plays and composes on keyboards, trombone, flute and computers in hopes of getting out what is inside her head for the enjoyment of others. She grew up playing classical piano, composing free improv music, playing flute in woodwind choir and trombone in jazz big bands. She continued her musical journey studying South African Township music, Afrobeat and salsa and experimental live dub music. She joined live hip hop band Heiruspecs and accompanied Atmosphere as well as playing with Jamaican reggae band Gullibanque and hip hop artist Toki Wright. She started her own collaborative vision with the band Black Blondie which went on to tour the country and chart on CMJ. Most recently she debuted singer Dizzy Fae with co-producer Marc Rice and released an album “Laughing at Ghosts” with Sarah White, as well as producing two film scores with Rice, one with over one million views on YouTube. Her vision and direction with music is all about artistic honesty, positive social change, community collaboration and pushing creative boundaries.

This activity is funded, in part, by an appropriation from the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the State’s general fund.