ARRANGING STUDIO
Overview
The Arranging Studio is an intensive arranging experience designed to give participants monthly goals to develop their arranging skills. Unlike other online courses offered by TCP, the studio is built around two different experiences including an instructional seminar and a hands-on workshop. The studio meets twice every month with one session being a dedicated lecture where a certain topic will be presented to the studio in detail, while the other is a practical discussion where participants will receive direct feedback and work alongside the instructor on applying the contents covered in the previous session. The main purpose of the studio is to be a limited capacity learning environment where like minded individuals can gather and expand their craft through the tutelage of a professional arranger. To cater to participants all over the world, the classes are held via Zoom with all sessions being recorded and provided to participants shortly afterwards.
Meet The Instructors
Alex van den Broek is a composer, arranger, educator, and sound engineer living and working in Ōtautahi Christchurch. He has a Masters with Distinction in Composition from the University of Canterbury and a Diploma in Jazz from CPIT Jazz School, majoring in Composition and Arranging. His work is much in demand by many New Zealand performers and organisations.
Alex was the co-founder and musical director/conductor ('05-'09) of the Silencio Ensemble, a ten piece new music ensemble. He is currently the musical director/conductor of Symposium Dectet, an ensemble which he co-founded with fellow jazz explorer Tom Rainey, which focuses on contributing new work to the lexicon of New Zealand ensemble jazz.
In recent years, Alex has become known for his YouTube channel GilEvansInsideOut where he covers a wide array of arranging related topics regularly to an audience of tens of thousands of people.
Toshi Clinch is a renowned Australian arranger and educator currently based in Seattle, USA. After studying with Grammy-nominated composer Rich DeRosa (JLCO, Metropole Orkest, WDR Big Band) at the University of North Texas, he quickly established himself as one of the go-to arrangers for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines where he had the chance to work with a number of vocalists from T.V. shows such as America’s Got Talent, The Voice, X Factor, as well as performers from Broadway and the West End. Notably, he has also written for major artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, James Morrison, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, and the Tommy Dorsey Big Band. As an artist, Toshi has currently released three big band albums under his own name, including Vesuvius, Gillespiana, and Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concerts.
In recent years, Toshi has focused on music education, creating hundreds of performance opportunities for up-and-coming musicians as well as collaborating with international artists such as Jacob Collier, Terri Lyne Carrington, Dick Oatts, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and was nicknamed the “Quincy Jones of Australia” by Rich DeRosa for his prolific output.
Format
The arranging studio is built around a two-part structure designed to help participants fully understand the topics covered. The first 90 minute session is set up in a traditional lecture format where the instructor presents on the chosen topic of the month with plenty of time for questions and discussion. Participants are then given an arranging prompt where they are tasked with applying the core concepts explored that month. After two weeks, the studio reconvenes to go through the prompt, with the instructor showcasing how they approached the exercise. Additionally, the second session is focused around exploring how various participants tackled the monthly task by workshopping examples in real time with the studio.
You Have A Say
The content covered in the arranging studio is built from what the participants want to learn. Every month current members are given the chance to choose from a number of topics for upcoming sessions, with the most popular being given the highest priority. As a result, the direction of the studio is dictated by the participants, organically evolving over time to suit the needs of those involved.
Guest Speakers
From time to time, instead of drawing from the core instructors, lectures will be given from a guest speaker covering techniques they have utilized in their own arrangements. Similar to how monthly topics are chosen, members will also be able to suggest arrangers they would like to hear from as well as vote on suggested speakers.
Course Details
Capacity: Maximum 15 Participants
Length: Ongoing
Session Length/Times: 90 minutes
(twice a month on Sunday nights)
Cost: $49 USD per month
(100% Refund if you’re not satisfied and can opt out at any time)
Delivery: Online via Zoom (every live session is recorded and provided to participants shortly afterwards)
Structure: Two sessions - one lecture, one workshop. Participants are expected to complete a short arranging prompt based on the monthly lecture which will be workshopped in the second session
Organic Topics: The content of each month is voted upon by current members, meaning that we help you with techniques you actually want to use in your own writing
Guest Lecturers: Every couple of months, a guest arranger will present on techniques they have used in their own writing
Requirements: Any digital notation software such as Sibelius, Finale, Musescore etc