Saxophone 5
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Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
- Start Date: 16 Sep 2025End Date: 25 Nov 2025Tue (Evening): 19:45 - 21:15In PersonLocation: Keeley StreetDuration: 11 sessions (over 11 weeks)Course Code: ME610ATutors: David HarrisonFull fee £219.00 Senior fee £219.00 Concession £153.00
- Start Date: 13 Jan 2026End Date: 24 Mar 2026Tue (Evening): 19:45 - 21:15In PersonLocation: Keeley StreetDuration: 11 sessions (over 11 weeks)Course Code: ME610BTutors: David HarrisonFull fee £219.00 Senior fee £219.00 Concession £153.00
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What is the course about?
Continue to develop your saxophone playing and musicianship. You will learn new tunes and rehearse and record ensemble arrangements, with ample opportunity to develop your improvisation.
What will we cover?
- Structured use of all 12 major and minor keys
- focus on jazz styles
- Students will be encouraged to write their own exercises and share good practice habits
- Regular opportunity to improvise
- Expand your repertoire of tunes.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Demonstrate improved tone and musicianship skills
- Design a personal practice plan for future development
- Improvise with greater ease and confidence
- perform with confidence
- show a working understanding of the jazz idiom
- transcribe simple saxophone solos.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is for players with a high level of instrumental competence, and a grasp of jazz harmony.
You should be able to play all major and relative minor scales and arpeggios, keep time well, and read music in all common time signatures. Some experience of playing across the II V I cadence is desirable.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You will be taught through weekly practice of technical matters, memorising tunes, section playing and soloing.
Reference recordings will be in use, and play-along tracks. Technical practice week to week and learning of tunes is essential.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Students will be expected to make space for regular practice. A music stand, metronome and access to a piano or keyboard are essential to your personal practice.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Continue next term as ME610B.
David Harrison studied at Oxford Brookes university before taking a post-graduate diploma in saxophone performance at Guildhall School of Music & Drama. David has been teaching at City Lit since 1994. In 2004 he wrote a guitar player’s guide for Collins and joined Music Sales in 2005 to update the famous A Tune A Day tutor series, eventually producing over 40 titles as series editor of the relaunched A New Tune A Day books, which has since become the biggest-selling music tutor series worldwide. Since 2010, David has worked freelance writing, editing and producing mainly educational titles, including Abracadabra Beginning Theory (Collins Music); The Complete Ukulele Player (Music Sales) and most recently the Bob Dylan Complete (Hal Leonard), the authorised collection of every Dylan song, together with an extensive introduction covering Dylan’s acoustic guitar technique, his song-writing and Dylan’s place in the American folk music revival. Aside from his guitar and saxophone classes, David runs a course in song writing. a series of talks on the music of The Beatles, and a series on the songs of Bob Dylan’s 1960s albums.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
