Musical youngsters in Fife invited to join virtual jazz music sessions

The orchestra has moved its sessions online during the current lockdown, and it wants to hear from youngsters aged eight to 19 years of age who would like to join.

As well as a warm-up session, there are new tunes to try and new ideas for solo practice. Youngsters can learn to make their own music, make new friends and enjoy the fun of improvisation.

Youngsters of any standard, with any experience with any instrument can take part.

The new term started on January 7 and the virtual sessions take place every Thursday at 7pm for an hour, with each costing £3.50.

Allan Hastie, chairman, said: “Unfortunately as we entered our 44th year, the Covid situation could well have signalled a death knell for the orchestra were it not for some spirited thinking from Richard Michael, our musical director, the committee and inspiration from Nicola Benedetti and The Benedetti foundation.

"We introduced Zoom as a means of continuing weekly lessons on a Thursday from the comfort of the player’s own homes.

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“Through this app, we have extended our FYJO membership from only eight members last September to a full complement of at least forty and growing!”

Allan continued: “We want encourage even more members as we have noticed that as we are no longer bound by travelling constraints to our original practice hall in Lochgelly, we can now reach way beyond Fife and now have members in London, Aberdeen, Ireland and only just recently a family who will be joining us from Romania!

"As we continue our lessons using Zoom we not only, benefit from Richard and Pete (Petrie) as tutors, but we can now can access Richard’s daughters, Hillary and Joanna, both qualified musicians and teachers in their own right.”

He added: "We hope that at the very least we can continue to provide an opportunity for music to be played and enjoyed by youngsters and at best, produce forward thinking musicians that can create even more music for the future.”

For more information contact FYJO secretary: [email protected]

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