John is happy to lead workshops on any area of his work and to visit your school, college, music centre or teaching studios. Two current examples are given below, but others can be arranged on request.
- Workshop 1 : Sight reading
- To discuss ways with teachers of helping tackle this problem and new material that is available with particular emphasis on his Sight-reading series for Schott Music.
- Workshop 2 : Jazz Piano
- To help teachers with valuable material and suggestions to enable their students to make the transition from 'jazzy pieces' to build an 'all-round' jazz piano technique using his Jazz Piano Studies and the Jazz Piano Player series, both from Faber Music, the On the Lighter Side series of piano solos and duets from Schott Music and his new repertoire books from Music Sales, which include easijazz and Original Piano Ballads.
Workshops can be tailor made to your needs and requirements and can be given to groups of teachers or students, or a mixture of both. Groups can be of any size and participation is actively encouraged!
Fees and organisation
A 3 hour session costs £250 plus travelling costs. John is based in London but is happy to conduct workshops anywhere in the UK. For more distant locations, overnight accomodation costs will also be charged.
Next steps
To make a booking, or for more information, please email John @ johnkember.com
What they say
“beautifully crafted arrangements of jazz and pop standards ... a gift to anyone who wants to entertain”
“John Kember has produced some more beautifully crafted arrangements of jazz and pop standards ... a gift to anyone who wants to entertain, either alone or with others. ... Each is then turned into a characterful piano piece, with plenty of rhythmic variation and syncopation, and some fine examples of bass and inner-part melodies.”
Nancy Litten, 'Piano Professional', Summer 2011
“arrangements true to the originals and compositions
beautiful, stylish and delightfully pianistic”
“I always send up a quick cheer when I see anything by John Kember,
as his arrangements are true to the originals and his compositions
beautiful, stylish and delightfully pianistic.”
Fiona Lau, 'Music Teacher', March 2010
“Presented with style, care and panache”
“Presented with style, care and panache ... ideal for ensemble work, in school or teaching studio ... an arrangement with real pianistic flair for performace and private indulgance.”
John York, 'Piano' Dec 2009/ Jan 2010
“I love these books. They eclipse any others I have examined because they work. Nothing thin or weak, nothing merely derivative”
“two fabulous volumes ... The reason these work so well where others often fall short of expectation is the sheer quality of the arrangements by John Kember. ... I love these books. They eclipse any others I have examined because they work. Nothing thin or weak, nothing merely derivative”
John York, 'Piano' Spring 2009
“practical and original gems that could easily be prepared as part of a concert”
“The solos with piano accompaniment that are included at the end of each chapter are practical and original gems that could easily be prepared as part of a concert program. ... This text would be of particular interest to adult players who wish to brush up on their sight-reading skills, and is an excellent resource for teachers who would like to reinforce the reading ability of their students and are looking for a clear and systematic method to accomplish this task.”
Brenda Brenner, 'Strings, October 2007 (USA)
“John Kember is truly one of our finest composers who incorporates the interests of the student as well as the pedagogical needs of the teacher in his works.”
“John Kember is truly one of our finest composers who incorporates the interests of the student as well as the pedagogical needs of the teacher in his works.”
Julia Amada Kruger, Vice-President of the American College of Musicians
“Here is a composer and teacher who understands the jazz piano idiom and how to train it positively, thoroughly and progressively”
“Here is a composer and teacher who understands the jazz piano idiom and how to train it positively, thoroughly and progressively, starting at about the grade 3 level. His music always feels and sounds great and the 'Plus One' volume also encourages ensemble work, improvisation and a wider experience for the pupil. All styles are covered within the books, big band, gospel, ballad, blues etc and, again, presentation is brilliant.”
John York in 'Piano', July/August 2005
“A brilliant and original collection”
“A brilliant and original collection which covers all standard jazz techniques and idioms-swing rhythm, anticipation, syncopation, walking bass-line in blues, rag, jazz waltz and dreamy reflective styles.”
'Piano Journal' (EPTA)
