Education
Private instrumental tuition
Private tuition in improvisation, harmony & arranging
Lessons in person or online
Improvisation workshops/masterclasses
Direction of youth/college big bands & ensembles
Enquiries email: ajschofield66@gmail.com
Andy Schofield has been teaching music for more than 30 years, as an instrumental woodwind teacher, tutor for improvisation, harmony, theory and arranging, and director of ensembles in schools and colleges in the UK and Europe, including University of Salford, Leeds College of Music, Berlin British School and International School of Prague.
Andy was a course director of The Music Place Jazz Summer School (2005-9), ran courses for the British Council in Bulgaria (1992-3), and was a tutor at the Berlin International Music Project (2011-13), as well as being a co-director of the Music For Life Youth Big Band (2002-9), and a judge for Music For Youth (1998-9) and COBIS International Schools Music Festival (2015).
He is currently a Visiting Artist at the International School of Prague, among other commitments.
Recent education projects have included:
Special commission to compose/arrange music for Music For Life Youth Big Band (2014). Other omposers in the scheme include Mike Gibbs, Stan Sulzmann and Gwilym Simcock
"Suite For JT" original project with students of HAMU, Prague
Improvisation masterclasses at Leeds College of Music, UK (2015-16)
Improvisation masterclass at Czech Jazz Workshop (Summer 2017)
Saxophone/ensemble tutor at Frydlant Jazz Summer School, CZ, 2020-23
Some ideas for playing music...
Don’t play anything, unless it’s absolutely necessary! (try leaving space).
Always stay in the music, even when you’re not directly involved (don’t be distracted by other things - put your smartphone away!)
Consider there are people playing other than yourself (allow space for them).
Consider that you might be playing too loud.
If you’re not sure what to play, or where you are, stop playing and listen.
Think about what your role in the music is, and how that might change in different situations.
Practise your own part, until it doesn’t take up your whole attention (then you can focus on elements of the music other than your own).
Don’t pre-conceive ideas when you’re improvising (keep your attention open to what’s going on around you).
Connect with the audience, and other band members.
Be a storyteller, not a space-filler! (give your solos narrative and colour - make them something special. Play melodies like songs, not exercises - learn the lyrics).