Jazz Improvisation Clinics for Wind Instruments

Description: A series of daily clinics for all wind instruments focusing on demystifying the mind mechanics of improvisational behavior in music.
 
Learning Outcome: Upon completion of the clinic sessions, participants should be able to work with form, harmony and rhythm in order to create a coherent solo using these basic musical ingredients. They should also feel more confident with other aspects of musical interpretation such as sound, technique and phrasing through the use of "instrument-agnostic" exercises and etudes. 

Antonis Ladopoulos

Antonis Ladopoulos was born in Athens Greece. In 1990, he earned a Bachelors Degree in Jazz Studies and Performance from William Paterson University of New Jersey, after attending its highly accredited Jazz Studies Program led by Jazz legend Rufus Reid. Upon the completion of his studies he received a Graduate Assistanship along with a full scholarship from Eastern Illinois University. Moving to Illinois, he spent two years studying and working as a teaching assistant in the Jazz Program, led by Alan Horney and Henry Butler. During that time, he performed on various occasions as a member of the Henry Butler Quartet. In 1991 he earned an exceptional performance award at the Notre Dame Jazz Festival. He graduated in 1992 with a Master of Arts Degree in Jazz Performance. Since then, he has been leading his own groups and teaching the Jazz idiom in the greater Athens area. He has performed all over Greece, both with his own group and as a featured soloist. His discography includes 7 albums. Antonis has also appeared in numerous commercial recordings with various pop artists and as a soloist with the National Radio Orchestra. His quartet was featured in the celebrational events of the 2004 Olympic Games. He is the co-founder of Muse.gr music institute & record label and the creator and co-director of Muse Festival one of the most prestigious yearly Jazz festivals to take place in Greece. From 2008 to 2011, Antonis also taught Jazz Theory, Improvisation & Jazz Ensembles at the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki. In September of 2012, he was awarded by the Eastern Illinois University Graduate School the title of "International Alumni Ambassador". This is an academic honor to international graduate alumni showing considerable achievement in their respective fields. Antonis is currently a Ph.D. Candidate at the Department of Music Studies in the University of Athens and Faculty at the American College of Greece (Deree College) as well as the Director of Ioannina Jazz Festival (www.ioajazz.gr).
www.ladopoulos.eu
Antonis Ladopoulos: Thoughts on Practicing Jazz