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The$2016$Thailand$Jazz$Workshop$(TJW)$was$held$at$Rangsit$Conservatory$of$Music,$
Bangkok,$Thailand$from$6F12$March$2016.$$The$Festival$sponsors$are$the$United$States$
Embassy$of$Thailand,$the$Los$Angeles$College$of$Music,$Jamey$Aebersold$Jazz$Books,$
Rangsit$University,$and$Jazz$Education$Abroad.$$This$years$Workshop$had$over$220$
students$from$Thailand,$Nepal,$Hong$Kong,$China,$Spain,$Malaysia,$and$the$United$States.$
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This$year,$Jazz$Education$Abroad$invited$preeminent$jazz$saxophone$artist$Antonio$Hart$
to$be$part$of$the$2016$Thailand$Jazz$Workshop.$Antonios$1997$release,$Dont&You&Know&I&
Care,$earned$him$a$1997$Grammy$Nomination$for$Best$Jazz$Instrumental$Solo.$
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During$Antonios$inFresidency$at$the$2016$Thailand$Jazz$Workshop,$his$skills$as$a$Master$
Teacher$were$evident,$engaging$all$220$students$in$several$jazz$improvisation$sessions$
on$how$to$learn,$practice,$and$internalize$some$of$the$important$elements$of$jazz$
improvisation.$
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Throughout$the$week,$in$addition$to$the$large$sessions$of$jazz$improvisation,$smaller$
sessions$were$held$to$provide$more$individual$attention$to$each$student.$$Below,$Damian$
Erskine$works$with$a$jazz$improvisation$class$demonstrating$how$to$integrate$scales$and$
chords$in$improvisation.$
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Jazz$improvisation$classes$provide$the$opportunity$for$students$to$develop$their$skills$in$
improvisation,$including$how$to$transcribe$solos,$understand$scale/chord$relationships,$
and$how$they$can$use$their$creative$skills$in$playing$music.$$Ajarn$Kwan$sharing$his$
thoughts$with$the$students.$
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Students$were$placed$in$17$different$levels$of$jazz$improvisation$classes$based$on$the$
results$of$their$jazz$theory$placement$exam$and$their$live$audition.$$Ajarn$Frank$discusses$
the$importance$of$using$rhythms$in$jazz$improvisation.$
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While$most$of$the$students$were$in$jazz$improvisation$classes,$the$drummers$were$
focusing$on$learning$the$various$styles$of$music$they$need$to$know$and$be$able$to$play.$
Gary$Hobbs$demonstrating$some$of$the$important$styles$to$be$learned.$$
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In$between$classes,$students$had$the$opportunity$to$visit$the$Registration$Area$to$peruse,$
review,$and$purchase$the$many$jazz$books$available$from$Jamey$Aebersold$Jazz.$$Many$of$
these$instructional$materials$can$help$students$improve$their$jazz$improvisation$skills.$
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Master$Classes$on$the$students$major$musical$instrument$are$designed$to$help$students$
focus$on$and$learn$the$basic$fundamentals$of$their$instrument,$including,$but$not$limited$
to$sound,$technique,$style,$endurance$and$interpretation.$$Dr.$J$Kyle$Gregory$and$the$
trumpet$students$are$playing$an$exercise$to$help$them$improve$their$sound.$
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Master$Classes$are$divided$into$groups$by$ability$levels,$so$that$students$from$beginning$
to$advanced$levels$are$in$classes$with$students$of$similar$abilities.$$Ajarn$Cook$is$working$
with$the$saxophones$on$dynamics.$$
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On$Tuesday$evening,$8$March$2016,$the$Jazz$Education$Abroad$(JEA)$Faculty$Jazz$Combo$
performs$for$An&Evening&of&Jazz&at&the&Residence$at$the$United$State$Embassy$in$Bangkok,$
Thailand.$
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One$of$the$highlights$of$this$years$concert$at$the$US$Ambassadors$Residence$was$a$
special$performance$by$guest$artist$Antonio$Hart,$featuring$both$United$States$and$
Thailand$jazz$faculty.$
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Jazz$Combo$playing$provides$an$opportunity$for$the$students$to$take$what$they$are$
learning$in$the$jazz$improvisation$courses$and$apply$$it$to$their$jazz$combo$experience.$$
All$combos$memorize$their$music$for$the$final$concert.$$Mike$Danas$Combo$preparing$for$
the$jazz$concert.$
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Jazz$Combos$are$kept$small$to$ensure$that$every$student$has$a$chance$to$play$an$
improvised$solo$in$rehearsal$and$the$concert.$$Ajarn$Changton$rehearses$his$jazz$combo$
in$one$of$the$many$outstanding$music$rooms$in$the$new$Rangsit$Conservatory$of$Music$
facilities.$
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Antonio$Hart$rehearses$his$combo$on$stage$during$a$dress$rehearsal.$$The$Rangsit$Concert$
Auditorium$is$one$of$the$finest$concert$venues$in$all$of$Asia$with$seating$capacity$of$over$
1,000,$plus$having$one$of$the$largest$stages$anywhere.$
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Vocal$Jazz$Ensembles$are$becoming$more$prominent$in$both$the$Middle$East$and$Asia.$
Lisha$Sun$is$rehearsing$the$20Fmember$vocal$jazz$ensemble$for$the$performance$on$
Saturday$afternoon.$$The$vocal$jazz$ensemble$rehearsals$include$singing$in$both$small$and$
large$vocal$jazz$ensembles,$solo$singing,$vocal$improvisation,$as$well$as$coaching$on$
diction,$microphone$techniques,$and$communicating$with$the$audience.$
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The$first$Thailand$International$Jazz$Saxophone$Competition$was$held$in$conjunction$
with$the$2016$Thailand$Jazz$Workshop.$From$the$many$saxophone$players$who$applied$
from$throughout$Asia,$13$musicians$were$invited$to$Thailand$to$compete$in$the$SemiF
Final$round,$held$on$Monday,$7$March$2016.$$Finalists$competed$on$Wednesday,$9$March$
2016.$$Below$Antonio$Hart$congratulates$all$the$saxophone$players$who$were$invited$to$
Thailand$to$participate$in$the$2016$SemiFFinals$round.$$
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Dr.$Denny$rehearses$the$Big$Band$consisting$of$5$saxophones,$4$trombones,$4$trumpets,$
piano,$guitar,$bass$and$drums.$$In$the$large$jazz$ensembles$students$learn$to$sightFread$
music,$to$be$featured$as$soloists,$and$to$play$behind$faculty$soloists.$
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During$this$years$Workshop,$there$were$eight$(8)$big$bands$that$had$the$opportunity$to$
perform$on$stage$for$an$enthusiastic$audience.$$Dave$Glenn$conducts$one$of$the$eight$big$
bands$on$the$Saturday$afternoon$concert.$
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Before$the$end$of$the$concert,$Antonio$Hart$was$featured$with$the$top$large$jazz$ensemble$
and$performed$his$own$arrangement$of$Stars&Fell&On&Alabama.$
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Dr.$Gene$directs$the$last$number$with$the$big$band$on$the$final$night$of$the$2016$Thailand$
Jazz$Workshop.$$After$the$concert,$the$students$were$invited$to$the$stage,$by$instrument$
groupings,$to$receive$their$official$Jazz$Musicianship$Program$Certificates$from$the$2016$
Thailand$Jazz$Workshop$faculty.$$$
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Below,$the$saxophone$players,$having$received$their$certificates$from$their$teachers$Ajarn$
Cook,$Ajarn$Mariano,$Agarn$Jimmy,$and$Ajarn$Antonio,$were$ready$for$pictures!$
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Many$thanks$to$the$Rangsit$University$Registration$and$Office$Staff$for$helping$to$make$
this$event$a$wonderful$and$educational$experience$for$all$the$students$who$attended$the$
2016$Thailand$Jazz$Workshop.$
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And,$the$2016$Thailand$Jazz$Workshop$Faculty$would$like$to$thank$all$220$students$for$a$
GREAT$Thailand$Jazz$Workshop$this$year.$$We$hope$to$see$all$of$you$in$March$2017.$$
Thank$you!$
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The%2016%Thailand%Jazz%Workshop%Faculty%
Dr. Denny Euprasert, Co-Director
Dr. Gene Aitken, Co-Director
Antonio Hart, Saxophone
Mariano Abello, Saxophone
Jimmy Lee, Saxophone
Teerus Laohverapanich, Saxophone
Zhang Xiaolu, Saxophone
Lisha Sun, Vocal Jazz
J Kyle Gregory, Trumpet
David Glenn, Trombone
Phil Dunlap, Piano
Greg Goebel, Piano
Frank Herrgott, Piano
Jetnipith Sungwijit, Guitar
Changton Kunjara, Guitar
Mike Dana, Guitar
Damian Erskine, Bass
Teerawat Tunboot, Bass
Gary Hobbs, Drums
Arnupap Kammer, Drums

Each$student$received$a$certificate$for$successfully$completing$the$Jazz$Musicianship$
Program$for$the$2016$Thailand$Jazz$Workshop.$
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All$13$International$Saxophone$Competition$Finalists$were$awarded$a$Congratulations$
Certificate$for$reaching$the$SemiFFinals$of$the$2016$Thailand$Jazz$Workshop$
International$Saxophone$Competition!$
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Many%thanks%to%our%Sponsors%
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