Microjazz Expansions for Violin
Microjazz Expansions for Violin
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My guest composer on this blog is Rachel Jennings. She’s a British composer and arranger and an experienced string teacher whose work has been performed on BBC Radio 3 and selected by numerous exam boards, including both ABRSM and Trinity College London. Rachel’s reworking of ‘Cycling’ (Microjazz II) has been selected by ABRSM for the 2024-27 Violin syllabus (Grade 6: List C).
Microjazz Expansions for Violin finds Rachel taking a number of popular Microjazz pieces and literally expanding them, in stylish and exciting new directions. The book is a comprehensive package designed specifically for classically-trained students (and their teachers) who may be unfamiliar with specific styles and techniques – ranging from jazz to rock to bluegrass. Each piece in Microjazz Expansions for Violin includes a full page of teaching notes and practical performance tips. The eminently playable but stimulating piano accompaniments are provided in a separate booklet. Audio tracks include accurate and stylish demos, and slower backing tracks for practice.
Here's a great video introduction to Cycling from Rachel:
And a sample of one of the violin parts:
In Rachel’s words:
“As a violin teacher of 20 years, I feel passionate about enabling students to access non-classical repertoire – particularly the popular styles so widely available to non-string players. This particularly affects students at intermediate level, who have the skills and motivation to branch out but not much in the way of appropriate sheet music. My first series, Red Hot Violin (Faber Music), was written with these students in mind. When I met Christopher Norton at a professional event, it was a matter of minutes before we were discussing the possibility of reworking his original Microjazz pieces for intermediate violin students. Having grown up with Microjazz myself, Chris’s pieces have been a joy to work with: to pull around, to send in new directions, and really just to have fun with both the styles and the violin. I hope these arrangements are as inspiring to play as they have been to write.”
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