Online Beginners Musical Improv Course

Musical improvisation can look like a miracle. A skilled player can make lyrics, melody and rhyme appear like magic. But the skills and practises of musical improvisation are accessible and learnable. Plus, they will add to the emotional range and commitment of all of your improvisation. You do not need a perfect singing voice, just the desire to throw yourself in and see what happens.

In this class, led by two of the most experienced improvisers on the European improv scene, you will learn the core skills of musical improvisation through bitesize exercises and structures.

You will also learn to use emotion to move from scene into song and then to structure your song to express your character’s emotion and point of view. This class will help you to gain confidence and power in your voice through the freedom and power of improvised song.

Course Syllabus Includes:

Emotion and commitment to the song

Melody and using the accompaniment

Lyrics and rhyming

Verses, choruses and bridges - the core elements of song structure

(Please note: We recommend this course either for those who have some experience with either singing or improvisation. Due to the rhythmical difficulties presented by online improv, it involves solo singing from early on in the course.)

Min. participants 6, max. participants 12.

If we have to cancel the event due to low numbers, we will do this with 24hours notice (and you will receive a warning 48 hours before the course if this looks likely).

Jennifer Jordan trained in Acting at Bretton Hall and, after ten years of performing and workshop facilitating professionally, she then discovered improv in Vancouver where she trained & performed with Vancouver Theatre Sports League, Instant Theatre, Second Storey, and The Fictionals. Now living in London, Jennifer is very much involved in the improv scene there as a performer, teacher, and Youth for The Nursery Theatre. She has also trained with iO Chicago, David Razowsky, Joe Bill, Lee White, Free Association and Showstoppers.

Joe Samuels is the Director and Musical Director of The Maydays. He is a classically trained pianist and violinist and is one of only a handful of professional improviser musicians in the world. He has directed and played for a baffling array of improv troupes both in the UK and across Europe as well, as playing at IO in Chicago and being the musical director of Improv Festivals in Barcelona, Poland, Romania, Finland, Dublin and of course at the Maydays own festival.

This intermediate course runs every Tuesday afternoon from 5th January to 9th February, 4 pm-6 pm GMT

Intermediate (3/6 months+): These classes will be opportunities to add tools to your growing toolbox. Normally these classes will expect players to be confident playing scenes. These classes will provide practice and specific new skills.

Whatever the level of ability required, all of our classes are safe, supportive environments led by our experienced teachers. Please email us if you are unsure whether a class is suitable for you. If you sign up for a class inappropriate to your level the Nursery/Maydays reserved the right to remove you from the class without refund.

Photo credit: Robert Armstrong