Congratulations
Congratulations on your selection to represent your school during the 2023 IASJ Jazz Meeting in Helsinki, Finland. Being selected means that you belong to the highest level of students of your school. The IASJ offers a lot to you, and we hope you have a lot to offer to our community.
Instruments, microphones, amplifiers
Music stands and amplifiers are provided by the Sibelius Academy in all rehearsal rooms.
Singers: you can bring your microphones, but Sibelius Academy will be providing microphones to every combo room and for the final concert.
Trumpets/trombones: bring your instrument and, and when possible, mutes also.
Saxophones: bring your instrument
Guitars: bring your instrument
Pianos / Hammond organ: provided by the Sibelius Academy
Electric bass: bring your instrument
Acoustic bass: if you can, bring your instrument. If you want to use the school bass, contact the host school coordinator. We have limited options, unfortunately.
Drumsets provided by Sibelius Academy. Bring your cymbals. If you would like to utilize cymbals of the school, contact the host school coordinator.
Any question or doubt? Contact the host school coordinator.
The combos
We’ll form preliminary line-ups for the six combos beforehand. Each combo will play two or more standards to see if there is a chemistry between the participants. After the audition the combo leaders have a meeting and make the necessary line-up changes, if needed. The combo line-ups vary a bit but mostly the line-up is piano, bass, drums and guitar/vibraphone, brass&woodwind and a singer.
Please prepare to play (in different keys) one or two of these standards during the audition.
All The Things You Are (Kern, Hammerstein II)
Just One Of Those Things (Porter)
A Weaver Of Dreams (Young, Ellio^)
Scrapple From The Apple (Parker)
All Of Me (Marks, Simmons)
How Deep Is The Ocean (Berlin)
There Never Will Be Another You (Warren, Gordon)
There are combo rehearsals every day of the week. We have the honor of having the Honorary Doctors of the Sibelius Academy jazz department Dave Liebman (US), Aaron Goldberg (US), Tim Hagans (US), Anders Jormin (SE), together with professor Jukkis Uotila (FI) and Savannah Harris (US) as the combo leaders. The combos are possibly (co)-coached by participating teachers from IASJ member schools. During the rehearsal, you will work on various materials that might include your own compositions. For the final concerts, your compositions should be arranged for the whole line-up. Please do bring some of your compositions.
The final concerts
On the evenings of the last two days, three combos perform per evening. Each combo plays a 45-minute set. The combo members, in turn, announce the name of the combo, the names of the compositions and the names of the performers. Be professional, be well-dressed, no shorts, no sandals. The performances will be published on YouTube for promotional proposes of the IASJ. See the links below to the IASJ playlists of former years.
The Jam Sessions
This year, the meeting does not have a traditional teacher's concert. Instead, there will be a
teacher group opening in every jam session. Update your repertoire, know your jazz standards well and prepare to play the tunes in various keys. Remember the jam session etiquette: have fun, do not take too long solos, step out after a few tunes to leave room for others to play.
The master classes
Master classes are organized for each instrument. Teachers will also participate in the master classes. The goal is to exchange information and experience how other people from all around the world think, work and study. Ask questions and be prepared to answer questions.
The Lectures
We feel that now would be a good time to concentrate especially on questions concerning the cultural connections of jazz music, past and present, and how they affect pedagogic practices in jazz programs all over the world. Dr. Dana Hall’s presentation will be the starting point for many discussions during the week. Please continue the discussion in informal settings during your time off and exchange ideas with the other students and teachers.
The Group Photo; your Time Off
The group photo is a fun moment – “A Great Day in Helsinki!” You will receive a copy after the meeting. It will come handy if you want to connect with the other participants after the meeting.
Yes, that is one of the main goals of the meeting: giving your international network a tremendous boost. Some groups formed during the IASJ Jazz Meetings are still together, touring and recording.
The day off activities include tennis and padel, disc golf, Helsinki sightseeing etc. If you want to participate in the off-day tennis, padel or disc golf activities, please bring your gear with you, if possible. You are also free to organize your activities. And even rehearse if you like.
Be prepared…
‘A life-changing experience’ is the most frequent feedback from the students who have participated in IASJ Meetings in the past. Hopefully, we will hear that phrase again after the Helsinki meeting. The week is very intense, the midsummer sun is always up, Helsinki has all kinds of attractions (or distractions) to offer, like all capital cities. Do not get exhausted, drink a lot of water, get enough sleep, be prepared, be professional. And enjoy the 2023 IASJ Jazz Meeting!
See you very soon,
The Host School Coordinators
Jussi Kannaste
Sami Linna
Jari Perkiömäki
For more information on the 2023 IASJ Jazz Meeting
https://2023iasjhelsinki.com/