During February and March of 2026, we partnered with Leicestershire Music Hub to work with three of their local secondary school ensembles. Countesthorpe Academy, Brockington College and Long Field Academy each hosted our NYJO Emerging Professional musicians over four weeks to learn about jazz and improvisation. Over the course of each week, the school ensembles all worked hard to learn Lester Leaps In, which we compiled digitally into one multi-ensemble performance video to celebrate the end of the project.
It was lovely to see each young person’s unique sense of musicality expressed as they learnt to improvise. The students were taught the history of jazz and improvisation, how to play melodies, and they learnt the harmonies behind the melodies – all by ear, as well! Whilst they were learning, the young people were encouraged to roll their sleeves up and have a go at improvising for the first time.
“I think the thing I’ve enjoyed the most about this is having more and more students in each group starting to improvise and coming out of their shells.”
Red Fielder Van Kleef, NYJO Emerging Professional Musician
In our usual NYJO fashion, we facilitated a friendly, safe and respectful environment where the ensembles were inspired to try something new, take risks, make mistakes and do it all over again. It was an opportunity for students to perform outside of their regular music lessons which, for some of them, was their first chance to participate in an ensemble. We believe it’s really important to promote the need for more spaces for young people to perform together. Learning how to play how in an ensemble early on can develop a new level of maturity in a musician, as well as helping them to understand the joy and sense of community that can be found through music.
The results of the project were lively and fun, but also to a very high standard of musicianship that we were incredibly impressed by. It was lovely to see the young people be reintroduced to their instruments by being encouraged to play them in new and exciting ways. We received some really positive feedback at the end of the project, and we hope that this introduction to jazz can spark a new passion for the young musicians!
“I liked being able to learn new things and work together!”
Kareene, Leicestershire Schools Project Participant
“I have learnt about seventh chords, jazz scales and improvisation!”
Annie, Leicestershire Schools Project Participant
