Clinic and Conference Presentation Topics

"Tony can explain sophisticated concepts simply. He has the talent to demonstrate for students how things should be done and makes learning a pleasure. His performing and writing skills are superior, and he sets a wonderful role model for students. He's one of the most respected educators in the field today."
James Stombres,
Past President, IAJE-IL

Here is a profile of some of the workshops Antonio García might offer in a clinic or conference setting. He is comfortable adapting to the needs of most individuals or ensembles that invite him to offer assistance, including improvisers, jazz ensembles/combos, jazz choirs/vocalists, trombonists, composer/arrangers, music business students, and music therapists.

"You will be very pleased to know that I have just reviewed a wonderfully comprehensive final report on Antonio García's residency at Evanston Township High School. Reviewing the student responses, the many performance programs, and the students' musical scores which include notes from the composer to the student, I can say with confidence that this residency was one of the most successful from last year. I'm pleased to read that the presence of a composer at the school brought about improvement in the students' own self-disciplinary abilities in addition to expanding their musical creativity. I am also impressed with the dedication of all involved and the variety of performances which resulted from this dedication."
Diane L. Girer, Program Manager, Meet The Composer

If you would like to discuss potentially arranging a clinic or conference presentation, please contact Antonio García directly. Fees are flexible, and he may also assist you in identifying co-sponsorship from additional funding sources.

Mr. García is a world-class composer, performer, and educator.... During the 'composer-in-residence' process, Mr. García visited HPHS numerous times, listening to the concerns of students and teachers while creating the pieces. For our students, this was truly an amazing process, largely due to Mr. García's total commitment to the success of this project."
Glenn Williams, then-Director of Bands, Highland Park High School

 


Sample Clinic/Conference Topics
Level I = beginning, II = intermediate, III = advanced.
Title Description Level Duration
Ensemble Style Coaching ...on their music (vocal or instrumental) I-III any
"Thank you for coming down to be our Jazz Honor Band Clinician. The concert went wonderfully, and I believe that the kids learned much and enjoyed the experience of being under your direction."
Glenn Scheurmann, President, Louisiana Music Educators Association District VI
"Thank you so very much for taking time from your busy schedule to be a part of our Combo Workshop. Your clinic presentations were wonderful. Students and teachers alike were completely impressed, and all agreed that your clinic was the most informative and practical session that had ever attended.... My students met me back at school on Saturday evening to help unload equipment; and I had to turn the lights off in the band room to get them to leave: they would not stop talking about your clinic and performance. You made a difference for a lot of people this weekend! Thank you!"
Gary Brandes, Director, IAJE–Missouri Unit Jazz Workshop
"Use Illinois resources...right here in our state we have a variety of vocal jazz educators the likes of Tony García."
IMEA Illinois Music Educator
"Adam Weinstein, a drummer and senior, said García helped the jazz band students master a Latin song they were working on. 'We were playing it as written and were having trouble expressing the feelings,' he said. 'He told us some of the rhythms Latin players use, and we brought it into the piece and definitely got the Latin feeling we needed for the song.'"
New Jersey Star-Ledger
Keeping Combo Tunes Fresh ways to spontaneously (or nearly so) vary a "lead-sheet" performance of a tune so that it doesn't become boring II-III 50-80 mins
Improv Coaching ...on their music (vocal or instrumental): group or private I-III any

"Pairing together high schoolers and middle schoolers who play the same instruments, García helped the students develop ideas for jazz solos and overcome their fear of improvising their own musical thoughts."
Interactions
Making Wrong Notes Right ways to exploit, enjoy, even seek out "wrong" notes I-II 50-80 mins
"Tony's approach to 'Making Wrong Notes Right' gave a new insight and projected fun into the possibilities of improvisation—and the courage to take a risk. His technique of leading the students through the vocal learning of a Miles Davis solo was appreciated by them. Most had probably never even heard of Miles before; yet in about 15 minutes they had learned more about the unique characteristics of Davis' music than any written text could ever impart to them."
Susan McLean, Arts Coordinator, Euroa Secondary College, Victoria, Australia
Cutting the Changes: Improv via Key Centers reducing tunes of often 35 chord changes into 2-4 keys so as to focus on improvising melodically I-II 50-80 mins
"Several students made the comment that you are one of the best educators they had ever had the opportunity to work with. Your ability to explain musical concepts in an interesting manner is truly unique. Thank you for sharing your expertise with us!"
Peter Madsen, then-Jazz Division Teaching Assistant, University of Illinois
Imitating Transcribed Solos: Stealing from the Masters vocal and instrumental imitation of solos learned by all during the clinic I-III 50-110 mins
It's About Time: Improve Your Groove practice tips demonstrated by all I-III 50-80 mins
"Antonio García did a rhythm workshop at The Midwest Clinic last year, and it was terrific." IMEA Illinois Music Educator
"'Everybody learned from his clinics. The string orchestra is used to being more confined,' said its West Orange High School director, Margo Sokolow. 'His focus on groove and feel was different for the kids and worthwhile.'.... García has a reputation beyond borders in the jazz world."
West Orange (New Jersey) Chronicle
Jazz Trombone Techniques practice tips for jazz trombonists: group or private I-III 50-80 mins

"Your performance on trombone at the IMEA All-State Convention was superb.... Thank you also for conducting the brass workshop for students and teachers.... For years now, your name continues to lead our state in the area of jazz education."
Mary Jo Papich, IMEA Jazz Division Vice-President, Peoria Public Schools Fine Arts Coordinator
Jazz Theory Clinic ...on topics requested I-III 50-80 mins
Foreign-Bass Chords contemporary sounds via non-normative progressions with dissonant bass tones III 50-80 mins
Arranging Critiques ...on their student arrangements: group or private (w/o tape or live performance is possible but not as helpful) I-III 50-80 mins
Creative Arranging exploring options that allow writers to place their special "mark" on a tune: group or private II-III 50-80 mins up to a series of meetings

"The idea of melodic contour was a wonderful and effective door letting students overcome the awkwardness of their age and differences of language and actually do some composing. For them to perform your professional-level handling of their ideas brought it full circle and exemplified what our Education Program is about."
Meet The Composer
Re-harmonization methods of substituting chords voiced with a given melody (tune, sax soli, shout section, etc.) II-III 50-110 mins up to a series of meetings
Voicing Techniques methods to score the instruments and/or voices chosen II-III 80-110 mins up to a series of meetings
"The simplicity of several processes, especially voicing and harmonization, was quite surprising. Studying with him really helped to demystify the process: gathering, organizing, and producing material is more clear. The task of composing seems less daunting. Seeing the sketchwork for his compositions provided insight into the steps of revision necessary to effective composing."
Geoff Hamilton, private jazz composition student at Evanston Township High School via García's residency
through a grant from The Commission Project, quoted in the IAJE Jazz Educators Journal
Jazz History choice of focal points I-II 50-80 mins up to a series of meetings
Improv Pedagogy specific issues/arguments re: how best to teach improv III1 110 mins up to a series of meetings
Jazz Pedagogy issues/arguments as to the ideal jazz curriculum III1 110 mins up to a series of meetings

"The advice that he gave to the music educators participating in our jazz clinics was pedagogically sound and delivered in a supportive and positive manner, and our students really learned a lot from him. He is an excellent clinician and clearly has the best interests of jazz at heart."
Dr. William S. Carson, Director of Bands, Coe College; Administrator, Coe College Jazz Summit
Jazz Ensemble Direction issues/arguments as to the best ways to direct/coach jazz groups of various sizes (vocal or instrumental) III1 110 mins up to a series of meetings
"I found Tony to be a wonderful clinician and guest artist at our festival—full of energy, sound information, and sincerity unlike I've come to find. I whole-heartedly recommend Tony to anyone thinking about hiring a guest artist: his performing, work ethic, and concern and effectiveness for education warrant this."
Dr. Scott Garlock, Director of Bands, Knox College
De-mystifying the Rhythm Section rhythm section tips for younger players or future teachers III1 50-110 mins, or a series of meetings
Intro to Latin Jazz hands-on Latin percussion/rhythm workshop, with listening examples and reference lists II-III 50-110 mins

"Jazz I Ensemble had practiced and had been performing the Afro-Cuban rhythms based on Western-European musical groupings of four beats. When Tony demonstrated the complexity of the syncopation and chained together the different rhythm parts to create a two-bar grouping of interactive rhythms rather than a one-measure grouping of non-interactive rhythms, the difference in the feel of the music was quite overwhelming.... Tony received rave reviews as a presenter, with positive citations for his pacing, respect for others, inspiration, knowledge, enthusiasm, and support for people who are trying to learn something new."
Lee Anna Rasar, RMT, Music Therapy, University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire
Musical Self-Defense: Justifying Your Music Program music ed advocacy, especially in jazz; ties between creativity in music and in business III1 110 mins up to a series of meetings
Freelance Performance Musicianship ways to get/keep jobs in a freelance music career II-III 50-80 mins
Job Search Seminar ways to get/keep a more "institutional" job (teaching, management, etc.) II-III 50-80 mins
"Thank you for participating on the Higher Education Panel. Your candid disclosures were very inspiring. Let me also thank you for your support throughout Hispanic Heritage Month."
Elizabeth Reyes, Coordinator, Northwestern University Hispanic Heritage Month
Music Business Seminar career choices, copyright law (US-based), publishing, unions, etc. II-III 50-80 mins
Creative Parallels in Music and Business for businesses: skills essential to business management demonstrated through music ensembles I-III 50-110 mins
"To you we convey heartfelt thanks for preparing and delivering poignant remarks about the application of creativity in music as in business. You captured the essence of the message and added your own creative flair. Your humor and articulation were superb."
Michael Winston, Vice-President and Director of Global Leadership and Organization Development, Motorola, Inc.
"Your presentation to the Adcenter students was one of the best I've seen. You were by far the most entertaining speaker we've had yet. You gave them great advice on how to develop their strengths and to work as hard or harder on the things that don't come as easily. Thank you for encouraging them to embrace failure and find opportunities to learn from it."
Rick Boyko, Managing Director, VCU Adcenter
(now VCU Brandcenter)
Writing for the IAJE Jazz Education Journal guidelines to optimize acceptance of a manuscript by teachers or advanced students III 50 mins
Jazz Improvisation: An Expressive Tool in Music Therapy an experiential session for music therapists demonstrating how jazz improv can assist patients' motor skills and emotional release I 5-hour CMTE session (NAMT-approved)
"The Illinois Association for Music Therapy was very fortunate to have Tony García as a presenter at our Spring Meeting. Tony's presentations at the Southwest and Great Lakes Regional Conferences received rave reviews, and his presentation for us was nothing less than excellent."
Kris Urbasek, RMT; President, Illinois Association for Music Therapy
Studio Recording, Production, & Engineering overview of the roles of everyone in a studio, how to plan a session, etc. II-III 50-80 mins

"During the past year, García offered the additional perspectives a guest artist can bring while conducting seminars and workshops with various jazz ensembles, teaching two electronic music classes (largely populated by students not trained on traditional musical instruments) and working in independent-study fashion with four students who show great promise in composing as well as performing.... 'He helped create a new kind of musical experience for students who aren't performers,' said Dave Fodor, a music teacher at ETHS."
Observer
Jazz and Everyday Language for language students and professionals: a demonstration of the parallels between jazz improvisation and our conversational speech I-III 50-80 mins

"Your 'Jazz and Language' topic approach was the most clear and engaging I've seen, reaching out to a non-musician audience in ways that made improvisation processes accessible. And your instrumental performance and scat-vocalizing brought musical meaning to the narrative. You've made my association with IAJE stimulating and rewarding."
Charles Suhor, then-Deputy Executive Director, National Council of Teachers of English
Intro to Film Scoring overview of some of the basic approaches to scoring films III 50-110 mins
Intro to FINALE helpful tips/Q&A regarding the most-used notation software I-III 110 mins up to a series of meetings
Jazz: A Bridge to Better Understanding exploring jazz as a bridge to understanding other subjects including language, history, math, physics, religion, and psychology I-III 110 mins up to a series of meetings
(variable for faculty or students)
"You and your colleagues/fellow artists were THE BEST!!
The work that you do—and the way that you do it—is so important."
Liz Sheehan, Director, Partners in the Arts, Arts Council of Richmond
YOUR TOPIC! Propose another topic of interest to your participants! I-III any

1for future teachers, clinicians

 

"Bravo, Bravo, Bravo!!! You did a SPECTACULAR job as clinician and soloist at this year's Jazz Night. You are a superb musician and educator, and it was indeed a pleasure to work with you. We received so many positive comments about your appearance. You helped make it a very memorable evening for all."
Bruce Mack, Director, College of Lake County Jazz Ensemble


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"Your performance and work in Illinois Music Educators Association and International Association of Jazz Educators demonstrates that you are a role model for all of us. Thank you for continuing to be a leader in music education. The Illinois Music Educators Association applauds you!"
Mary Jo Papich, IMEA Jazz Division Vice-President, Peoria Public Schools Fine Arts Coordinator

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