Tim Kliphuis is one of the world’s top improvising violinists and a popular tutor. He combines his background in classical music with gypsy jazz and other improvised styles, to teach music in the broadest sense. Tim’s workshops promote a better understanding of musical language and performance. He links up jazz, classical and folk music and explains universal principles. An important subject is the cadence, which is at the heart of any Western music style and which makes music ‘move’. One-on-one individual tuition, general background information and group improvisation are alternated, keeping everyone involved all the time. Each student in the group goes home with three main points to work on, and tips how to do this. The following topics will be discussed:

- how to play an improvised melody

- how to improvise on a chord and chord changes

- jazz sound: right hand and left hand techniques

- myths about ‘jazz’ or ‘swing’ timing

Perceiving and feeling movements when playing an instrument, not just executing them mechanically and automatically, has been shown to improve significantly the quality and effectiveness of practicing and performing. The workshop Feldenkrais for Musicians will be concerned with this theme of “self-awareness through movement” and apply aspects of the Feldenkrais method to instrumental performance in specific and individual ways. For example, when playing technically difficult passages, it can help to focus on and feel the sequences of movements: Am I “compacting” my spine, perhaps? Am I holding my breath and constricting my rib cage? Or causing unnecessary tension in my shoulder muscles? Kinesthetic sense perception can help study such situations and their effect on technique and sound, and if necessary correct them.

As Moshé Feldenkrais put it: “If you know what you are doing, you can do what you want.”

In this discussion our faculty will share their experience from the music world. „Do I really need to practise scales?“ or „How many times should I perform a piece before playing it at a competition?“

Our participants ask questions and might get some surprising answers....

Every musician, young and old, needs good pictures for concert programs, applications...

The famous photographer Giorgio Balmelli will take professional pictures from all participants.

An important part of the education are the public concerts of the participants. Here they can try out performing their pieces under serious conditions. Very often these concerts are a „dress rehearsals“ for competitions, auditions or exams.

The YOUTH CLASSICS staff will be at Hallenburg castle to take care of the participants and also organize free-time activities for the students.

Selected students will have the opportunity to perform in November 2012 for more than 600 people in the YOUTH CLASSICS Gala Concert in Zurich/Switzerland. The „YOUTH CLASSICS Sponsorship Award“ will be awarded to a young artist who stands out among the participants. A CD will be produced of the concert and released.

Tim Kliphuis is one of the world’s top improvising violinists and a popular tutor. He combines his background in classical music with gypsy jazz and other improvised styles, to teach music in the broadest sense. Tim’s workshops promote a better understanding of musical language and performance. He links up jazz, classical and folk music and explains universal principles. An important subject is the cadence, which is at the heart of any Western music style and which makes music ‘move’. One-on-one individual tuition, general background information and group improvisation are alternated, keeping everyone involved all the time. Each student in the group goes home with three main points to work on, and tips how to do this. The following topics will be discussed:

- how to play an improvised melody

- how to improvise on a chord and chord changes

- jazz sound: right hand and left hand techniques

- myths about ‘jazz’ or ‘swing’ timing

Perceiving and feeling movements when playing an instrument, not just executing them mechanically and automatically, has been shown to improve significantly the quality and effectiveness of practicing and performing. The workshop Feldenkrais for Musicians will be concerned with this theme of “self-awareness through movement” and apply aspects of the Feldenkrais method to instrumental performance in specific and individual ways. For example, when playing technically difficult passages, it can help to focus on and feel the sequences of movements: Am I “compacting” my spine, perhaps? Am I holding my breath and constricting my rib cage? Or causing unnecessary tension in my shoulder muscles? Kinesthetic sense perception can help study such situations and their effect on technique and sound, and if necessary correct them.

As Moshé Feldenkrais put it: “If you know what you are doing, you can do what you want.”

In this discussion our faculty will share their experience from the music world. „Do I really need to practise scales?“ or „How many times should I perform a piece before playing it at a competition?“

Our participants ask questions and might get some surprising answers....

Every musician, young and old, needs good pictures for concert programs, applications...

The famous photographer Giorgio Balmelli will take professional pictures from all participants.

An important part of the education are the public concerts of the participants. Here they can try out performing their pieces under serious conditions. Very often these concerts are a „dress rehearsals“ for competitions, auditions or exams.

Die Mitarbeiter von YOUTH CLASSICS werden vor Ort sein, die Teilnehmer betreuen und auch Freizeitaktivitäten organisieren

Selected students will have the opportunity to perform in November 2012 for more than 600 people in the YOUTH CLASSICS Gala Concert in Zurich/Switzerland. The „YOUTH CLASSICS Sponsorship Award“ will be awarded to a young artist who stands out among the participants. A CD will be produced of the concert and released.