Saxophone 4
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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: 20 Sep 2025End Date: 29 Nov 2025Sat (Daytime): 12:15 - 13:45In PersonFull fee £219.00 Senior fee £219.00 Concession £153.00
- Start Date: 10 Jan 2026End Date: 21 Mar 2026Sat (Daytime): 12:15 - 13:45In PersonFull fee £219.00 Senior fee £219.00 Concession £153.00
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
Continue to develop your saxophone playing and musicianship as a progression from Sax 3. New students who are experienced players with a working knowledge of harmony and music theory are welcome to join.
What will we cover?
- Structured use of all 12 major and minor keys
- focus on jazz styles and skills
- Students will be encouraged to write their own exercises and share good practice
- 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
- show a working understanding of the jazz and pop idiom.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is ideal if you have successfully completed Sax 3 or a previous edition of Sax 4, or can show an equivalent level of competence on your instrument and musical experience.
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. Experience of playing across the VI II V I sequence is desirable.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You will be taught in a lively group class with weekly practice of technical matters, memorising tunes, and playing solo and as an ensemble.
Reference recordings will be in use, and play-along tracks. Technical practice week to week and learning the study tunes is essential.
This course has a Google classroom site for students to join in order to access online materials. For further details please follow our Google classroom instructions [external website].
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. Learning resources are also available in the google classroom.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
This course continues through the academic year as ME614B and C.
Sarha is an experienced teacher and gigging musician, performing on the saxophone, arranging and composing on the piano, in classical, jazz and world music genres. Her principal band, Bollywood Brass Band, is the UK’s pioneering Indian-style wedding band, performing tunes and compulsively danceable rhythms of Bollywood films. Twice nominated for Songlines World Music Awards, the band has performed across the world in concerts, festivals, and Indian weddings in the UK, Europe, India, Thailand and South Africa. Sarha played with Ghanaian Highlife band Orchestre Jazira, and socialist big band, The Happy End. She also plays in the Charlie Mingus jazz cover band Hog Callin’, The Great Yiddish Parade marching band and Freylekh klezmer band. Sarha’s specialist area is World Music, and she has a PhD on the study of the Flattened Supertonic across different cultures. At CityLit she teaches jazz and classical piano, saxophone, world music styles (practical and academic courses), musicianship and music theory.
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.
