The Jazz School

Jazz School camp is part of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 additional program. The Jazz School camp, which will be held for the 19th time in 2024, brings jazz-loving students and professional musicians from Estonian music schools together for three days each year to offer lessons in jazz and rhythm music and create exciting opportunities to play together.

The Jazz School camp always takes place during the winter school holidays, at the beginning of January. The camp lasts three days and the schedule is very tight. The first day starts with a traditional opening lecture, which will be given by some well-known Estonian cultural figure, and not necessarily on the topics of jazz music.

The main learning activity of Koolijazz is performed as an ensemble. All students are divided into bands, and during three days of long rehearsals, they receive instruction in playing instruments and ensemble work.
Traditional concerts take place every evening – on the first day, bands from music schools perform with pre-prepared programs, on the second day, a well-known ensemble gives a concert, and on the final concert, ensembles that have worked and studied under the guidance of the Koolijazzi camp for three days perform.

As the final concert has shown, you can learn a lot in three days. However, the greatest values can be considered the new friends and acquaintances found at Koolijazz and the motivation to study music and practice instruments. That young people like the camp shows that they keep coming back. Many of those who participated in Koolijazz later went on to study music.

A large number of well-known Estonian jazz musicians have coached young people at school jazz: Sirje Medell, Siim Aimla, Raul Vaigla, Marti Tärn, Raivo Tafenau, Tiit Paulus, Andre Maaker, Hedvig Hanson, Urmas Lattikas, Raul Sööt, Mart Soo, Taavo Remmel, Raun Juurikas, Tiit Kikas, Ain Agan, Lembit Saarsalu, Marek Talts, Olav Ehala, Villu Veski, Jaak Sooäär, Kadri Voorand, Joel Rasmus Remmel, Jaan Jaago, Paul Daniel, Mingo Rajandi, Liina Saar, Ahto Abner, Erko Niit, Lauri Kadalipp, Teet Raik and many others.
The teachers at the last Koolijazz were Kirke Karja, Ramuel Tafenau, Marek Talts, Markus Anthony Eermann and Roland Jairus.

On this occasion, the following teachers have been confirmed: Robert Rebane, Tõnu Tubli, Maarja Soomre, Marek Talts.

You can register for the Jazz School camp by writing to the email: [email protected].

The final concert is FREE for listeners!