You will receive individual coaching during group lessons from experienced instructors, usually two per instrument group. These instructors are renowned musicians who also teach at American universities, conservatories (including those in Brussels, Antwerp, Leuven, Ghent, Paris, and Perpignan), and jazz schools. The instructors will be announced in the spring of 2027.

Instrument and singing lessons

During these lessons you will delve into all aspects of making music: improvisation, technique, solos, accompaniment, theory, interpretation and repertoire.

Whether you:

• Are an advanced musician who wants to develop further
• Want to learn to practice more efficiently and make better use of your time
• seeks new exercise techniques and practical tips
• Want to be taught by renowned (international) professionals
• Wants to learn how to effectively analyze, transcribe and use solos
• Want to take your instrument technique to the next level

This summer course will take you through all aspects of jazz and contemporary music: from improvisation techniques and jazz standards to creation of new compositions.

Master classes are also held at the end of the week, often with mixed groups such as bass & drums, guitar & vocals.

Instruments
Students should bring their own instruments and materials.
Pianists: keyboard/electric piano with amplification and headphones for individual study moments
Vocalists: microphone with "light" vocal system or with amplification
Wind players: instrument
Guitarists: guitar with amplification
Bassists: bass guitar with amplification
Double bass players: double bass with amplification
Drummers: drum kit, mat to protect floor, sticks and brushes

Combo

In our combos, you will receive professional guidance from experienced stage musicians. They help you not only with your instrument, but also with arrangement, improvisation, composition and more.

Whether you:

• Are a beginning or advanced musician
• Would like to meet new people by making music together
• Want to improve your improvisation skills
• Want to learn to play new pieces of music or standards
• Want to explore a different style of music
• If classical musician wants to try jazz

With us you will find what you are looking for!

Each combo consists of a complete rhythm section (piano, guitar, bass and drums), supplemented by horns and vocals. Here you immediately apply the techniques you learn during instrument lessons. In this we have about 12 different combos, each led by an experienced teacher.

To place you in the right group, we assess your level at the start of classes. Therefore, prepare a piece of music to perform. Based on this, we will assign you to an appropriate instrument group or combo.

We believe that your musical talent grows best by learning and playing together. In our combos, you will not only develop your technical skills, but also learn what it means to truly make music together.

Theory at the piano - Piano for non-pianists olv Maarten Weyler

1 p.m.: group 1 (beginners)

13:30: group 2 (more advanced)

In this class series you will learn, with no prior knowledge and on the piano,

• playing and making triads
• playing a blues scheme
• working with reversals
• playing and creating major scales
• playing and making four sounds
• working with reversals for II - V - I
• Playing standards such as Take the A-Train, Fly Me To the Moon and Mac the Knife
  • guide
  • improv
• and more

Evening classes

In the evenings there are additional theory classes, open to all students.

Theory advanced (from 7 - 8 p.m.)

Discover the "deeper layers" of music theory in engaging classes where you learn:

• Analyze chord progressions and apply them effectively
• Mastering various scales, from blues scales to Dorian scales
• Understanding complex concepts such as "altered dominants"
• Preparing yourself for conservatory studies
• Making sense of the rich history of jazz

An interactive approach makes theory lively and practically applicable!

Composition/Songwriting (from 8 - 9 p.m.) for all interested parties

Acreative workshop where you will learn to compose step by step:

Basic Composition Skills

• Writing your own blues theme
• Working within diatonic chord progressions
• Develop melody and chords for verse and chorus
• Copywriting with attention to prosody and rhythm

Advanced Techniques

• Experimenting with non-diatonic chords
• Refining textual emphases
• Arrangement development (intro, pre-chorus, bridge, outro)
• Translating your composition into band arrangements

Practical Tools

• Working with different software (MuseScore, iRealPro, GarageBand)
• Learning how to create professional demos

By the end of the week, you will have composed a blues as well as your own song (AABA or verse/chorus/bridge), including opportunities for a demo recording!

Introduction to jazz history (1 x during this week)

It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing! How do jazz musicians play together and improvise? Does Miles play bebop, New Orleans or modal?

From the origin of the style, over its evolution to the present day. Gradually the many genres and style periods are covered. Not a dry causation, but a fascinating story with music in it. With lots of listening and viewing examples but also 'played live' on piano. Whatever jazz style is involved.

All these lessons are accompanied by a syllabus with a summary of the subject matter and many additional course materials.

You can also register for evening classes only. Please note that places for these are limited.

Every night of the week, several classrooms remain open until midnight. You can then play free or supervised jam. In ever-changing line-ups, with fellow students or with teachers.

• Do you want to jam until the late hours?
• Under the guidance of teachers?
• Together with teachers?
• Would you like to play with participants of a different level or in a different musical style?
• Do you want to try out a different instrument?

JamZ.Bond Jam Session (4 evening sessions)

9 - 10 p.m.: for beginners

Based on our experience with the JamZ.Bond platform, we organize an evening jam where you know in advance which songs will be played. Indeed, we choose for you the right standards or songs and accompany you during this jam. From making an intro together, playing the theme, performing solos with the right accompaniment to playing at the right tempo and ending with an outro. Think of it as a "guided jam.

Would you rather play more freely? No problem, in several classrooms you can go for this, even until shortly before midnight!

Concerts

Thursday or Friday evening at 9 p.m. is traditionally the teachers' concert.

The course concludes with the final concert by some of the combos on Saturday evening. Family, friends and acquaintances are welcome to attend then. The final concert, at Destelheide Hall De Put, begins promptly at 7:30 p.m.. That afternoon, the other combos will give a show session. This session is open to students only.

Level

Making music is an ongoing journey of discovery. We understand that not everyone has had the opportunity to study jazz and related styles of music at music studios or music schools. Therefore, we do not have strict level requirements.

We have several specialized teachers for each instrument, so we can offer musicians of any level the right guidance.

Having doubts about your level or questions? Feel free to contact Maarten Weyler at maarten.weyler@gmail.com. He will be happy to think with you!