Joy of Arts: Hear it, Sing it, Play it: Improvisation Strategies for Teachers and Students (with Jim Hopson)

Effortless Resonance- Brass Pedagogy Strategies for Music Educators for Band Specialists

‘Hear it, Sing it, Play it’ is a workshop for music educators and students who want to teach and learn improvisation (all styles) using a simple, holistic process. Through demonstration and interactive participation, Mr. Hopson will reveal simple, fun, and practical strategies for developing an improvisational vocabulary. Topics will include: 1) 6-step approach to learning tunes in-depth, 2) Transcription: hear it, sing it, play it, write it, 3) Horizontal motion: a contrapuntal approach to chord changes, 4) Pan-modal exploration using drones, 5) Dissonance and consonance: ‘wrong’ notes can be beautiful, 6) Technology for the facilitation of improvisation.

Participant supplies: musical instrument (recommended), voice (required)

Time: 12:30 to 2:00 pm

Jim Hopson is a freelance low brass player, composer, arranger, improviser, and educator based in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Jim’s passion for the trombone began age 16 and led him to study music at UVic, where he became a protégé of the great Ian McDougall (‘The Boss Brass’). Gifted with a rich sound, phenomenal technique, and a 6-octave range, Jim has built a career as one of the most in-demand and versatile freelance musicians in BC. As a multi-instrumentalist, he performs on alto/tenor/bass/ valve trombones, tuba, euphonium, bass trumpet, Swiss Alphorn, bass guitar, and voice. Jim is equally at home in symphony orchestras, jazz ensembles, rock groups, polka bands... you name it, he’s played it! A dedicated educator, he has taught private lessons and clinics to thousands of young musicians, and has conducted student ensembles of all ages and abilities. An accomplished and prolific composer, his music is published by Cherry Classics and IM BrassWorks. Jim has played as a session musician on countless albums, television shows, and films, and has released two albums as a leader: ‘West Coast Nights’ (2015) and ‘Generations’ (2018), both available exclusively on Bandcamp.

To learn more: phonosmusic.com

Joy of Arts Pro-D participants are all encourage to attend for the full day of learning:

9:00 - 9:10 - Welcome and Acknowledgement

9:10 - 10:00 - Virtual Keynote Victor Wooten in gym

10:00 - 10:15 - break (15 min)

10:15 - 11:45 - Break-out Session 1 (Session options for Music/Art/Dance/Drama with pre-registration)

11:45- 12:30 - lunch (45 min)

12:30 - 2:00 - Break-out Session 2 (Session options for Music/Art/Dance/Drama with pre-registration)

*Register separately for each session (including the keynote)