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Jazz Study

Anton is an exceptional player & inspirational teacher... and a lot of fun! He is organized & prepared, and so well versed in so many aspects of jazz performance and education... What more could a student want in a teacher?! — Susan Muscarella, Director, The California Jazz Conservatory

Anton Schwartz possess the perfect blend of musicianship; a top-flight saxophonist, an inspired composer, and a professional with a keen sense of the music industry and the jazz community-at-large. His teaching combines these gifts into…

…a unique presentation of sophistication, clarity, and personality; before you know it you've got the keys in your pocket! — Joe Gilman, Musical Director, The Brubeck Institute

I've really enjoyed your approach in the weekly workout sessions. Your teaching style strikes me as a rare combination of clarity, curiosity, creativity, and practicality. — Michael Gold, saxophonist

Anton is a superb teacher. He listens to my playing and singles out specific areas for me to focus on, which has improved my improvisation dramatically. He is engaging & enthusiastic... — Terrigal Burn, pianist

Anton Schwartz, Jazz Educator

Anton is passionate about helping professional and recreational musicians overcome hurdles in their musical pursuits. He has taught extensively at the California Jazz Conservatory, the Stanford Jazz Workshop, the Lafayette Summer Jazz Workshop and the the Brubeck Institute. He has been Artist-in-Residence at Harvard University and the Brubeck Summer Jazz Colony and has given clinics at dozens of jazz institutions, including the SFJAZZ High School All-Stars, Seattle JazzED, KPLU School of Jazz, and the Bellevue Jazz Festival Rising Stars program. He also teaches privately in Seattle and Oakland.

Anton brings the precision of a scientist—he has degrees in Mathematics from Harvard and Artificial Intelligence from Stanford—and the soul of an artist. He is a highly accomplished performer and recording artist; see his biography for more information.

Here are the most recent postings on Anton Schwartz’s jazz blog:

To stay posted four times a year on Anton’s teaching activities, as well as pointers and thoughts about learning jazz, sign up for his jazz education email list .

Individual Lessons

75 minutes • $90

Anton teaches lessons out of his studios in Seattle, Washington and Oakland, California, as well as via Skype (see below). He works with intermediate and advanced students of diverse instruments who have an interest in some or all of the following:

  • Improvising fluidly over chord changes
  • Powerful expression through music
  • Internalizing advanced harmony
  • Fluency in the many idioms of jazz, plus funk & blues
  • Phrasing
  • Saxophone technique, including sound production, articulation, altissimo and inflections.
  • The physics of musical sound
  • Efficient practice methods for a busy lifestyle

Anton particularly loves working with musicians who have studied scales and chords but are frustrated in their efforts to use those devices to make great solos.

Skype Lessons

60 minutes • $60

Like in-studio lessons (above) but via two-way video on Skype or FaceTime.

Combo Lessons

90 minutes • $120

Anton works with jazz combos at his studio, on either a one-time or a periodic basis. He listens to their playing, points out areas of strength and weakness, coaches them to improve the weak areas during the lesson and suggests ways for them to further develop on their own. He has worked with beginning to advanced groups since 1995, at the Jazzschool, The Brubeck Institute and the Stanford Jazz Workshop, and has taught entire courses and workshops on a great number of the components that go into successful ensemble playing.

Anton is an accomplished & effective clinician.

He gives workshops frequently at a variety of institutions.
Below are some of his upcoming teaching engagements.

Upcoming Events

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Apr 26 Sunday
California Jazz Conservatory - Berkeley, CA

Clinic

“Jazz Piano Skills for Non-Pianists”

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11am-4pm (with optional 30 min break)

The piano is an invaluable tool for any jazz musician. This workshop focuses on things a non-pianst (or non-jazz pianist) can do to efficiently acquire skills that will be useful in their music. The goal is not to become a performing pianist; rather, it is to be able to use the piano to improve your ear, to help you learn songs, to demonstrate ideas to bandmates, and eventually to compose and arrange music. As a result, this workshop is very different from “beginning jazz piano”. Subjects will include: roles of the left and right hand, simple chord voicings with a pathway to more complexity, bass notes and bass lines, and the ranges of the piano most appropriate for different purposes.
Appropriate for jazz players with a minimum of piano knowledge or non-jazz pianists interested in jazz.
Prerequisite: Some familiarity with the piano, not necessarily jazz. Participants should be able to at least find individual notes.
May 17 Sunday
California Jazz Conservatory - Berkeley, CA

Clinic

“Diminished Harmony in Jazz”

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11am-1pm
Diminished scales are an essential part of the jazz harmony palette, but they have a number of unique properties that often leave them poorly understood and under-utilized by aspiring players. In this workshop we will explore the sonic qualities and harmonic functions of diminished scales and learn how to parlay an understanding of their sound and functionality into more meaningful improvisations. We will examine important jazz songs that use diminished harmony and discuss practical ways to approach them. This workshop is appropriate for students with little prior exposure to the subject, as well as students versed in diminished harmony who wish to deepen their understanding.
Prerequisite: an understanding of basic theory. Knowledge of diminished scales will be helpful.
May 17 Sunday
California Jazz Conservatory - Berkeley, CA

Clinic

“Improvising with Triad Pairs”

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2pm-4pm
A particular sound can be achieved by constructing musical phrases using a six-note scale and grouping the six notes into two triads. It’s a sound most closely associated with John Coltrane, and first discussed extensively by Walt Weiskopf. In this workshop we discuss this technique of triad pairs and how it departs from the pre-1960 jazz vocabulary. We explore its harmonic foundations and it various uses, and learn tips for integrating it into our improvisations.
Prerequisites: An understanding of chords and seven-note scales is required; familiarity with jazz harmony (altered, lydian, etc.) is recommended.
Jul 19 Sunday
Lafayette Summer Jazz Workshop - Lafayette, CA

Faculty

July 19-24

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You may also browse a list of workshops Anton has offered in the past.

 

 

Random Roots App

NEWS FLASH!

I'm proud to announce that the Random Roots app is now available on the App Store for iPhone/iPad. It's the culmination of a year's work, and it's a game changer for players looking to deepen their musicianship and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their practice.

To learn more and download it for free, visit randomroots.app.

—Anton

Random Roots App

NEWS FLASH!

I'm proud to announce that the Random Roots app is now available on the App Store for iPhone/iPad. It's the culmination of a year's work, and it's a game changer for players looking to deepen their musicianship and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their practice.

To learn more and download it for free, visit randomroots.app.

—Anton