| Jonathan Reeves MMus, BA (Hons).
Education 2000-2002 Canterbury Christ Church University/College. Kent/England. Master of Music § Courses I undertook during my Master’s degree were: Private Instrumental Tuition, Aural Awareness, Musical Analysis, Performance Studies, and a Thesis of my choice. § Performance was my principal study. § I studied improvisation in both modern and traditional jazz guitar. § I explored the art of improvisation, practical and theoretical, for my chosen thesis. I initially studied jazz improvisation to improve my own improvisations; however, this triggered many questions regarding how one learns to improvise. Therefore, my thesis examined whether improvisation can be taught, or whether it is an art that can only be learnt through experience via a master apprentice model. My main focus was on jazz improvisation, but also incorporated other genres that value improvisation, for example a North Indian Raga, that share the same issues regarding the implications that students face when learning how to create spontaneous composition. 1997-2000 Canterbury Christ Church University/College. Kent/England. Bachelor of Arts with Honors. § Degree courses included: Performance Studies, Written Musicianship (courses in Harmony, Composition, Orchestration, and improvisation), Critical Studies I II and III (a historically based course), Ensemble and Practical Musicianship (comprising courses in Aural Awareness, Music Technology and participation in departmental ensembles), Music Arts and Ideas, Kodaly, Jazz Studies, Audio Engineering, Ethnomusicology, Music in Education, Commercial Music, Musical Analysis, Classical Guitar Ensemble, and Electric Guitar Ensemble. § I studied and performed both classical and electric guitar during my Bachelor of Arts. § ‘Jazz Guitarist: John Scofield’ was the topic of my thesis. I examined Scofields’ unique style of playing, and how it developed throughout his career. To achieve this, I transcribed eight of Scofields’ compositions from various albums that spanned across his career for analysis. The thesis also included background information in the form of a biography, his guitar equipment, and a short chapter explaining the method I used to transcribe Scofield’s compositions. 1996-1997 Canterbury Christ Church University/College. Kent/England. Certificate of Music. § Foundation course that has to be taken before entering a music degree. 1995-1996 London College of Music. Kent/England. Graded exams for electric guitar. § Grades four, five, and six. § Grade six was my last exam because I had enrolled at Canterbury Christ Church University, and continued my guitar studies there. Experience 2005 John Lummen School of Music Ontario/Canada. Instrumental Teacher. § I have recently begun teaching the guitar (electric and acoustic/classical) and bass guitar in a variety of genres to all ages and abilities at this establishment. 2002–2003 King’s School Rochester. Kent/England. Visiting Instrumental Teacher (private school). § I taught both electric and classical guitar. § I significantly increased the number of students studying the guitar within the brevity of time I was employed. § Improved the standard of performance in a short space of time. § The Director of Music, along with other teachers, clearly noticed an improvement in the standard of playing and the students enjoying their lessons. § All of the above is supported by the reference I have in writing from the Director of Music at King’s school. 1999-2003 Alyesford Secondary School. Kent/England. Visiting Instrumental Teacher (public school). § I taught both electric and classical guitar. § I tripled the number of students learning the guitar. § I organized a school band for students learning an instrument at the school, which performed in school concerts when ever possible. 1999-2003 Guitar Practice. Kent/England. Private Guitar Teacher. § As well as being a visiting instrumental teacher, I also ran a successful guitar practice. § I taught both electric and acoustic/classical guitar to students of a variety of ages and abilities. § Supported students through their GCSE and A’ Level music examinations. Additional information Guitar studies I was fortunate to be taught by some talented guitar teachers whilst studying at university. I studied both classical and electric guitar during my Degree. Classical guitar. I studied the classical guitar under Jeff Alexander (MA in lute studies) and had frequent master classes from one of Britain’s leading classical guitarists John Mills. Electric guitar. James Dean (The Shaun Williamson Soul Band, EK1, The Feelgood Factor) was my mentor for the electric guitar, and with whom I studied with through out my BA and Masters. James was my accompanist for public performances and for my Master’s performance exam. I also had electric guitar master classes from jazz guitarist Gary Potter (Benny Green, Herbie Flowers, Rosemary Squires, George Hamilton IV and Glen Campbell) and from session guitarists David Goodes (Judy Tzuke, System X, Alphaville, Babylon Zoo, 991) and Malcolm MacFarlane (The Muldford MacFarlane Group, System X, Matt Bianco, Barbara Thompson’s Paraphernalia, Shakatak). Current research projects Jazz improvisation (theory, analysis, and workshop). This course is designed for students who are interested in learning about jazz improvisation, and is structured for all levels and abilities, from non-improvisers to advance. This course includes - aural awareness, theory and analysis, transcribing, composition, and a workshop (group performance) that enables the students a chance to put theory into practice. Term one is based on modal jazz, term two concentrates on the standard jazz repertoire and the use ii – V7 – I chord progressions that these songs are structured on, At the end of each term a public performance will be held where students will play pieces that were studied during the term as well as their own jazz compositions. The cultural and musical evolution of jazz. This is a historical based course examining how jazz music has evolved since the days of Crescent City and the effects that the cultural environment that jazz musicians had to encounter in America during the twentieth century had on the music. |
| and term three focuses on modern day jazz i.i. fusion, commercial jazz (smooth jazz). At the end of each term a public performance will be held where students will play pieces that were studied during the term as well as their own jazz compositions.
The cultural and musical evolution of jazz. This is a historical based course examining how jazz music has evolved since the days of Crescent City and the effects that the cultural environment that jazz musicians had to encounter in America during the twentieth century had on the music. |