The Music Workshop Company Blog

Each month the Music Workshop Company publishes two blogs. One blog, written by the MWC team addresses a key issue in Music Education or gives information about a particular genre or period of music. The other blog is written by a guest writer, highlighting good practice or key events in Music Education. We hope you enjoy reading the blogs.

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To contribute as a guest writer please email Maria@music-workshop.co.uk

Posts tagged “JAZZ MUSIC”

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Ella Fitzgerald

Posted on 17th April 2025 at 12:49

Ella Fitzgerald has been named "First Lady of Song" and "Queen of Jazz".

Her renditions of jazz classics, with 2,000 recorded songs, are viewed by many as definitive interpretations and she won 14 Grammy Awards including the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Despite a challenging childhood, Fitzgerald went on to become one of the most famous jazz singers in the world.

The Model Music Curriculum lists two of her songs - “Cry Me a River” and “You Took Advantage of Me” - as recommended listening. Here, we delve into her life and her impressive career.

Image: Carl Van Vechten - https://collections.library.yale.edu/catalog/2018461

NYJO Learning: King's Cross Summer Project

Posted on 23rd December 2024 at 18:00

Here at the Music Workshop Company, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to make music, regardless of their age or background. But too often, for many, those opportunities can be hard to find - which is why programmes that open up music to wider audiences are so important.

NYJO (also known as the National Youth Jazz Orchestra) exists to do just this, and we were delighted to hear about their successful 2024 King's Cross Summer Project for 14-18-year-olds. This month Beth Ismay, NYJO's Learning Programmes Manager, returns to the blog to tell us about the project and the impact it made for the young people involved.

Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue

Posted on 16th January 2024 at 12:04

This month our blog explores the life and work of George Gershwin. Famous as a songwriter with his brother, Ira, Gershwin mixed European Classical music traditions with Blues and Jazz to create a sound that is particularly linked to his birth city of New York.

Despite a relatively short life, Gershwin's musical output was huge, including musicals, an opera, orchestral music and film scores.

The Model Music Curriculum suggests listening to two of his most famous songs “I Got Rhythm” and “Summertime” as well as “Rhapsody in Blue”.

This blog explores “Rhapsody in Blue” and suggests activities linked to creating arrangements.

Image credit: Carl Van Vechten, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Jazz: the “Standard Repertoire”

Posted on 15th June 2020 at 16:06

Jazz standards are musical compositions that form a fundamental part of the repertoire and language of jazz.

They are often performed and recorded, and are therefore widely known to listeners.