October 2014 archive

Family jazz at Blackheath Conservatoire

For London’s historical Blackheath Conservatoire Joe has created a unique educational family jazz series, bringing in some of London’s best jazz musicians to offer children and their families an opportunity to hear some top drawer (grown-up) jazz, while exploring musical opposites in performance and the power of contrast.

Monthly.  Nov 23 then Dec 14
Jan-March 2015 tbc

To find out more, and book tickets:
> Conservatoire

“Our family jazz series has been incredibly successful. Joe has a fantastic way of connecting with the kids because he never treats them as any less sophisticated than their adult counterparts – he plays them the same jazz, with the same artistic quality and the same expectation that it will move them just as much as it moves grown ups. The success of the concerts prove what most of us in arts education have always known – that the best way to get kids into art and music is to give them the highest quality examples you can find. And Joe’s music is certainly that.”

Sydney Thornbury
Chief Executive, The Conservatoire

 

Coaching Taron Egerton on Testament of Youth

taronJoe often gets asked to help actors perform piano parts in movies, bringing them rapidly up to speed on how to master pieces, poise and performance – even if they’ve never played a note before.

As part of his coaching on the much-anticipated “Testament of Youth” (opening January 2015), Joe prepared Taron Egerton who had the tough job of learning four demanding bars of Chopin, from scratch. “Once he’d mastered it, he didn’t have to think about acting anymore because he was just so mesmerised by his own playing. He has since written to me asking for more lessons. He’s hooked.” 

Coaching Alicia Vikander on the piano

alicia-vikJoe coached Alicia Vikander, currently feted for her leading role in the forthcoming Testament of Youth, to ensure her piano-playing was totally convincing and heartfelt throughout the filming.

Joe commented at the time that “You never have to ask an actor to try it once more because they will just keep going until they get it right. Alicia Vikander was the best example of this. What a work ethic!”

Also during production on Testament of Youth Joe arranged his first ever piano “trio” for 6 hands. “Film is obviously a completely demanding art form, so even as ‘teacher’ I’m also learning new things as we navigate through the demands of the script and ‘the shot’. It’s never less than a blast to work with actors and directors at this level.”

The film opens on general release in January 2015.