IMPROVISATION MASTERCLASS
Improvisation – a musical expression that needs to be re-think and thought through, even planned… Strange, isn’t it? After all, we are talking about a loose, spontaneous artistic activity. Creative and free. One that crystallizes our language and musical personality and, at the same time, impresses the listeners. And yet…
Working as a professor at art universities in Poland and abroad, I had the opportunity to meet many outstanding performers from all over the world, of different ages, playing various musical genres. Each of them boasted a monumental achievement and a masterful level of improvisation.
After lengthy discussions and common practice, they all agreed that they had reached such a high level of implementation because they knew their capabilities and the tools they possessed. Almost everyone said that they develop through daily practice and analysis, as with speaking out and taking a stand on a given issue. We speak when we know what and with what words we want to say. Later, the message develops in a slow yet conscious way. That’s why I know that even the ability to improvise has to be worked on.
I invite you to the course:
All and all instrumentalists who are preparing for jazz exams,
students and students in classical and jazz disciplines who want to develop the ability to improvise, persons without prior contact with the music education system who wish to awaken or develop the ability to improvise.
In the course program:
Improvisation classes combine elements of aural skills and harmony education from scratch. For those interested in the basic level, I propose the following issues:
- simple and compound intervals
- chod progressions
- dominants
- upper structures
- alterations
- basics of II-V-I progression
- pentatonic major, minor, and their applications
- blues scale, you will develop the theme of blues (molar, “parker” etc.)
- Modal scales, exercises
- symmetrical scales (enlarged, reduced, half-whole, whole-half bebop, altered
- playing bass lines over jazz standards
- playing specific components (e.g. expanding the ability to perform the specific interval throughout the standard)
- passing tones
- approaching tones
- harmonic analysis of songs
Through these classes, you will learn how to:
- prepare jazz standards in accordance with the requirements for candidates for music studies
- perform rhythmic exercises (polyrhythms, coordination exercises – arms, legs, voice)
- master atonal exercises
- effectively perform solos transcriptions
- improvise on a given rhythm pattern
- improvise rhythmically on certain fixed sounds
- create melodic improvisation emphasizing the harmony of the song, performed without harmonic background
- sing / play counterpoint
- reinterpret the theme in a way that preserves the narrative of the piece (awareness of leading the lead voice)
- extract sound textures and harmonic colors
I will develop the curriculum individually if you’re already an advanced player.
How will we work?
Every class I teach, both at the Conservatory of Music or within the universities in Europe, Asia, or the United States, is based on combining knowledge and basics with practical exercises. But most of all, I bet on training.
Pre-Exam Support
After completing the course, you can call/write to me with questions you have before the exams.
About me:
I am an academic lecturer with over ten years of experience. Learning is a process of continuous development that requires work from both the student and the lecturer. In 2012 I obtained a Doctor of Music Arts degree and a Habilitated Doctor Degree four years later, teaching as an Associate Professor at the Academy of Music in Poznań. I’ve always been interested in improvisation, the jazz style and the one resulting from combining different musical styles and even different types of art. I teach various courses at the music academy and gain comprehensive experience in music technology and the music industry. Thanks to this, I have gathered many experiences that help beginners to gain practical improvisation skills and overcome their musical limitations.
As an improvising artist, I never tried to close myself to any musical genre. I play solo and together with bands belonging to the leading Polish improvised and electronic music scene – Maciej Fortuna Trio (albums Solar Ring, Sahjia, At Home, Jazz), the multiple acclaimed Maciej Fortuna Quartet or the duo Fortuna/Dys, which has released two albums – Tropy (FM, 2013) and Maciejewski Variations (DUX, 2014). I perform music combining jazz with electronics – solo and in a duet with An On Bast (albums 1, Live and Electronic Transcription of Film Music by Krzysztof Penderecki). My Slavic project based on the Kolberg collection (Kolberg Fortuny; later Maciej Fortuna Słowiański) was an exceptional success. I have performed at many foreign festivals, including Jarasum International Jazz Festival, Heineken Jazzaldia (San Sebastián Jazz Festival), and Fringe Festival.
In 2016 I performed the first-ever jazz concert inside the volcano. In 2017 I reactivated the Poznań Fifteen Orchestra. A year later, I conducted the premiere of my composition for 100 trumpets and percussion. Since 2019, Poznań Komeda Marathon has taken place under my artistic direction. Jerzy Milian dedicated his last composition to me, which was released at the turn of 2019 and 2020. In 2021 I resumed the activity of my trio, with whom I recorded the album “Baltic” at sea. At that time, I started to perform solo trumpet meditations, a cycle of interaction with space recorded in abandoned places and among nature in Poland and Spain.
As part of experiments combining different art genres, I create and direct multimedia concerts and video productions.
I am an associate professor at the Academy of Music in Poznań. I run my own music publishing house, Fortuna Music, and I’m leading the Jazz Poznań Association.
Check out my improvisations:
MASTERCLASS DATES
20-21.03.2024 – Big Band Workshop – Ignacy Jan Paderewski High School of Music in Bialystok, Poland
20.03.2024 – Jazz Improvisation Masterclass – Fryderyk Chopin University of Music Branch in Bialystok, Poland
24.11.2023 – Maciej Fortuna Jazz Trumpet Masterclass – Trzebinia, Poland
23.11.2023 – Trumpet Performance Masterclass – Fryderyk Chopin State School of Music in Krakow, Poland
20-21.10.2023 – Carmine Caruso International Jazz Solo Competition – Jury Member – Online, Namur, Belgium
20-25.08.2023 – Jazz Trumpet, Improvisation, Jazz Combo, and Classical Chamber Music – International Summer Brass Academy – Kalisz, Poland
20.03.2023 – Jazz Orchestra Masterclass, Jazz Trumpet Masterclass – New Mexico State University – Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA
09-17.03.2023 – Jazz Trumpet Masterclass, Jazz Improvisation Masterclass – University of Texas at El Paso – El Paso, Texas, USA
21.11.2022 – II International Jazz Trumpet Forum – Artistic Director – Academy of Music in Poznan, Poland
16.11.2022 – Improvisation Masterclass – 10th Improvised Music Festival – Krzeszowice, Poland
19.10.2022 – Wind and Brass Players Workshop – Jazz Poznan Association – Poznań, Poland
17.10.2022 – Wind and Brass Players Workshop – Jazz Poznan Association – Poznań, Poland
21-26.08.2022 – Jazz Trumpet Masterclass, Improvisation Masterclass, Jazz Combo, and Classical Chamber Music Master Course – International Summer Brass Academy – Kalisz, Poland
05.04.2022 – Lecturer – Scientific Conference “Jazz in Polish Culture” – Jagiellonian University – Krakow, Poland
24.03.2022 – Lecturer – “Significance and Role of the selected techniques of Passing Tones and Leading Tones usage over a modal scales” – Taller de Músics Superweek – Barcelona, Spain
22-23.03.2022 – Jazz Trumpet Masterclass – Taller de Músics – Barcelona, Spain
10-13.02.2022 – Pop And Jazz Platform Conference – Association Européenne des Conservatoires, Académies de Musique et Musikhochschulen – Łódź Academy of Music – Online
28-30.12.2021 – Jazz Trumpet Masterclass, Jazz Ensemble Masterclass, Jazz Improvisation Masterclass – Valencia, Spain
27.11.2021 – Wielkotrąbka – Jury Member and Artistic Director – Poznań, Poland
26.11.2021 – Jazz Improvisation Masterclass – Jazz & Brass Workshop – Jazz Poznań Association
24.11.2021 – 1st International Jazz Trumpet Forum – Artistic Director – Music Academy – Poznań, Poland
20.11.2021 – Jazz Trumpet Masterclass, Jazz Improvisation Masterclass – IX Jazz Integrations – Krzeszowice, Poland
23-28.09.2021 – Jazz Trumpet Masterclass, Jazz Ensemble Master Course, Jazz Improvisation Masterclass – Musikene – San Sebastian, Spain
20-17.06.2021 – Erasmus+ Professional Development Course for Academic Staff – Superior Conservatory of Music of Santa Cruz de Tenerife – Santa Cruz, Spain
12-15.04.2021 – Jazz Trumpet Masterclass, Jazz Improvisation Masterclass – Superior Conservatory of Music – Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
12-13.02.2021 – Pop and Jazz Platform – Association Européenne des Conservatoires, Académies de Musique et Musikhochschulen – Online
25.02.2020 – Orchestra Master Course, Jazz Improvisation Masterclass – Big Roll Band – Kluczbork, Poland
02.02.2020 – Orchestra Master Course – Maestoso Youth Wind Orchestra in Wschowa, Poland
15.02.2020 – Orchestra Master Course – Maestoso Youth Wind Orchestra in Wschowa, Poland
29.11.2020 – Orchestra Master Course – Krzyż Wielkopolski, Poland
14.11.2020 – Orchestra Master Course – Krzyż Wielkopolski, Poland
30.10.2020 – Trumpet Playing Masterclass – Jazz & Brass Workshop – Jazz Poznań Association – Online
25.10.2020 – Orchestra Master Course – Krzyż Wielkopolski, Poland
23.10.2020 – Improvisation Masterclass – Jazz & Brass Workshop – Jazz Poznań Association
20.11.2019 – Lecture on Krzysztof Komeda’s Music as a Source of Inspiration for Contemporary Creators – Scientific Conference Jazz-Horizons-Perspectives – Academy of Music in Poznan, Poland
11.05.2019 – Trumpet Masterclass – Zygmunt Noskowski State School of Music in Krzeszowice, Poland
2019-05-09 – Trumpet Performance Master Course – Wojciech Kilar State School of Music in Pleszew, Poland
16-17.12.2018 – Trumpet Performance Master Course, Improvisation Masterclass, Big Band Masterclass – Ignacy Paderewski State School of Music in Białystok, Poland
12-13.10.2018 – Orchestra Workshops – Big Band Powiatu Ostrowskiego – Ostrów Wielkopolski, Poland
28-29.09.2018 – Orchestra Workshops – Youth Brass Band in Krzyż Wielkopolski, Poland
21-22.09.2018 – Orchestra Workshops – Children and Youth Brass Band at the Community Centre in Poniec, Poland
7-8.09.2018 – Orchestra Workshops – Youth Brass Band in Przeźmierowo, Poland
27.08.2018 – Improvisation Masterclass – Jazz Poznań Association – Poznan, Poland
20-24.08.2018 – Jazz Trumpet, Improvisation, Jazz Combo, and Classical Chamber Music Masterclasses – International Summer Brass Academy – Kalisz, Poland
6-7.08.2018 – Orchestra Workshops – OSP Koło Wind Band in Koło – Pątnów/Konin, Poland
16.07.2018 – Open Improvisation Masterclass with the KaWuŚ Project Ensemble, Jazz Poznań Association, Poznan, Poland
20.03.2018 – Masterclass on Selected Improvisation Techniques – Tadeusz Szeligowski State School of Music in Lublin, Poland
11.11.2017 – Improvisation Masterclass and Jazz Ensemble Master Course – Fabrika La Isleta Association – Las Palmas, Spain
07-12.08.2017 – Jazz Trumpet Masterclass – 13th International Leszno Jazz Workshops, Poland
18.05.2017 – Jazzonalia 2017 – Jury Member – Jazz Improvisation Competition – Ignacy Jan Paderewski State School of Music in Konin
01.03.2017 – Improvisation Masterclass – Kazimierz Kościukiewicz High School of Music in Świdnica, Poland
20-21.02.2017 – Lecture at the International Scientific Symposium – Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz, Poland
17-18.02.2017 – Pop and Jazz Platform 2017 – Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance – London, United Kingdom
18.05.2016 – Konin Macroregional Jazz Improvisation Competition within the Jazzonalia 2016 Festival – Jury Member and Workshop Instructor – Konin, Poland
24-27.11.2016 – Improvisation and Jazz Chamber Music Masterclass – European Jazz School – Academy of Music in Poznan, Poland
23.11.2016 – Lecture on the Development of Jazz Music in the Context of Interdisciplinary Connections with Other Arts – Jazz-Horizons-Perspectives Scientific Conference – Academy of Music in Poznan, Poland
10-12.11.2016 – AEC Annual Congress and General Assembly 2016 – Academy of Music and Drama of the University of Gothenburg, Sweden
08.10.2016 – Improvisation Masterclass – Municipal Cultural Center in Żory, Poland
08.09.2016 – Lecture as part of the Doctors in Performance Conference – Dublin, Ireland
02-09.08.2016 – Jazz Trumpet Performance Masterclass, Improvisation Masterclass – 16th International Wind Instrument Workshops – Szczecinek, Poland
06.2016 – Publication of the book “Creation of a Work Inspired by Contemporary Electronic Sound Modification Possibilities in Jazz Music” – Publishing House of the Academy of Music in Poznan, Poland
07.02.2016 – Masterclass on Jazz Improvisation – Municipal Cultural Center – Goleszów, Poland
03-09.08.2015 – Jazz Trumpet Playing Masterclass, Jazz Improvisation Master Course – 15th International Wind Instrument Workshops, Szczecinek 2015, Poland
09.05.2015 – Jazz Improvisation for Trumpeters Master Course – 4th Jazz Integrations – Krzeszowice 2015, Zygmunt Noskowski State School of Music in Krzeszowice
29.04.2015 – Jazz Improvisation Masterclass, Jazz Trumpet Playing Masterclass – State School of Music No. 1, Miodowa Street in Warsaw, Poland
24.03.2015 – Masterclass on Jazz Improvisation for students of the Faculty of Wind and Percussion Instruments – University of the Philippines, College of Music, Quezon City, Philippines – Metro Manila, Philippines
24.02.2015 – Jazz Improvisation Masterclass, Jazz Trumpet Playing Masterclass on – Fryderyk Chopin State School of Music in Sochaczew, Poland
13-14.02.2015 – Pop & Jazz Platform – Association Européenne des Conservatoires, Académies de Musique et Musikhochschulen – Berklee Valencia – Berklee College of Music – Valencia, Spain
05.11.2014 – Jazz Improvisation Masterclass for Trumpeters – Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx – New York, USA
03-10.08.2014 – Jazz Trumpet Masterclass, Masterclass on Jazz Improvisation – International Jazz Workshops – Leszno, Poland
21.05.2014 – Masterclass on Jazz Improvisation for Students and Teachers – T. Szeligowski Primary School of Music No. 2 – Szczecin, Poland
28.04.2014 – Jazz Improvisation Masterclass, Jazz Trumpet Performance Masterclass – I. J. Paderewski State School of Music in Konin, Poland
04.04.2014 – Jazz Improvisation Masterclass, Jazz Trumpet Performance Master Course – Roman Maciejewski State School of Music in Leszno, Poland
28.03.2014 – Jazz Improvisation Masterclass, Jazz Trumpet Performance Masterclass – Primary School of Music in Skierniewice, Poland, and Municipal Secondary School of Music in Skierniewice, Poland
06-08.03.2014 – Masterclass on Chamber Ensemble Performance – Ysleta Independent School District, Fine Arts Department – Hank’s Jazz Festival – El Paso, Texas, USA
26.10.2012 – Lecturer – Jazz Foundamentals – La Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez, Juarez, Mexico
25.10.2012 – Advancing Knowledge and Skills in Jazz Combo Playing Master Course – University of Texas at El Paso – El Paso, Texas, USA
22.10.2012 – Jazz Improvisation Masterclass – New Mexico State University – Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA
20.10.2012 – Masterclass on Jazz Improvisation – El Paso Conservatory – El Paso, Texas, USA
12-19.08.2012 – Jazz Trumpet Masterclass, Jazz Chamber Music Masterclass, and Basic Improvisation Course – 1st Polish-Swiss Jazz Workshops – Leszno, Poland
31.03.2012 – Jazz Improvisation Masterclass for Trumpeters – Zygmunt Noskowski State School of Music in Krzeszowice, Poland
10-12.02.2012 – Jazz Improvisation Master Course, Jazz Ensemble Performance Masterclass – Superior Conservatory of Music of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria – Las Palmas, Spain
15.11.2011 – Lecture “The Application of Passing Tones in Contemporary Improvised Music,” Jazz Improvisation Masterclass, Big Band Performance Masterclass – University of Texas at El Paso, USA