Michael Gustorff is a very experienced and highly recommended teacher and workshop leader.
Since the early nineties he has been teaching improvisation (all kinds of instrumentalists), ensembles and mental training at the jazz- and pop department of the ArtEZ Conservatory in Arnhem (The Netherlands).
He also taught at the ‘Hochschule für Musik und Tanz’ in Cologne (1992-2016) and at the ‘Codarts Conservatory’ Rotterdam (1990-1997). In addition, he has been a resident guest teacher and has given workshops at conservatories all over the world (Antwerp, Berlin, Bangalore, Barcelona, Dresden, Gent, Hannover, Leipzig, Mainz, Seoul, Utrecht, Vienna, Zwolle..)
Next to workshops on general topics, Michael has developed three workshops on specific subjects:
Workshop 1
‘Playing is listening - Band coaching for small ensembles’
Playing in a band is much more than playing the same tune in the same room at the same time.
Participants of this workshop develop true awareness of the creative input of the other band members and learn to experience music as an entity.
This workshop is available for jazz & pop students and amateurs.
Workshop 2
‘Soloing is more than playing the right tone at the right moment’
During this workshop the participants work on different aspects of soloing such as improvising with motives, improvising on the melody (instead of playing changes), building solos, telling a story.
The workshop is available for musicians who have mastered the chords/scales material already to a medium up level.
Workshop 3
'The licks you should always practice but never play'
This workshop is based on a lick system that Michael Gustorff developed after having transcribed many solos of the jazz masters.
Through this system, the participants of the workshop learn to use any harmonic color at any time in their solos.
This workshop is available for advanced jazz & pop students (all instruments and singers except drums)
For further information, please contact me
Individual lessons
Lessons with Michael at a conservatory
If you want to study jazz and pop music professionally and you want to take lessons from Michael, please contact
the ArtEZ Conservatory in Arnhem (The Netherlands).
Private lessons
For private lessons on improvisation (all melody instruments including singers), feel free to contact me
All lessons and workshops can be held in English, German or Dutch
Band workshop at Dong Ah Broadcasting College, South Korea
Comments
The reason I am telling you all this... I wouldn't have been able to handle recording & bringing out my 1st CD, if you hadn’t been my teacher and 'guru'. So many times I've found myself using all that you taught me as 'back-up'. Not that I want to make this an 'Oscar-speech', but just want to express what was on my mind these years after school: THANK YOU MICHAEL!
Tuuli Suominen, jazzviolinist, singer, pianist, composer, Helsinki
Hi Michael, you are the best teacher I ever had - the best of all. I still use you as my internal teacher and mentor.
Heiner Gulich, saxophone player, Wuppertal
I think that you’re a fantastic teacher, one of the best of the conservatory concerning pedagogic approach, awareness of and control over teaching, musicianship, technique, playing, listening, learning, inspiring and criticizing. You surprised and challenged me again and again.
Paul Rittel, cello player, Cologne
The past four years were exactly what I needed. The mix of playing and good conversation made me leave Arnhem with a lot of confidence and a very clear idea, where to go musically. Thanks for everything!
Anna-Sophie Becker, jazz viola player, Stuttgart
Dear Michael, yesterday I had my steady gig here in Gent. It was a very nice concert. People, who hadn’t heard me playing for some time, told me that I had changed and that I had improved a lot. For me it felt the same way: I was calm and tried less to prove that I’m good. And I could play things I hadn’t been able to play before. I started playing in higher positions spontaneously without making any mistakes. And I was able to listen, to build up my solos, to comp…
I don’t really understand which sort of black or white magic you’re using when you teach me, but as a matter of fact I’m learning much quicker with less practicing this year. Thanks a lot for that and congratulations with your teaching skills!
Nicolaas Cottenie, jazz violin player, Belgium
Dear Michael, I want to thank you for your work during the 3 days at our conservatory! From the very first moment I felt your personal drive and your talents as a teacher. You were really concerned about the students. The same evening after your first lesson the students’ e-mails confirmed my impression: Michael Gustorff is the ‘max’! We need teachers like him to come back every year. A very interesting teacher! I got similar e-mails after your violin- and band-coaching lessons on Thursday and Friday. So you can see…only good news from Belgium. I hope we can repeat this many times.
Maarten Weyler, head jazz department conservatory Gent, Belgium
The feedback of our students was very enthusiastic. They were all impressed by your combo lessons!
Francesc Capella, piano player, head jazz department Esmuc, Barcelona
Thank you, Michael, for us it was a pleasure having you in the rehearsal, and your advice, your point of view and your way of telling it was really good for all of us, especially for me.
Joan Monné, piano player, teacher at Esmuc, Barcelona
Thank you for coming! Everything you told us was great and gave another view that helped a lot.
Ana Finger, singer/teacher, Barcelona
The feedback from the students was very enthusiastic and positive.
Leon Lhoest, Conservatory Antwerp, Belgium
There was only positive feed back from the students
Prof. Werner Neumann, Hochschule für Musik und Theater Leipzig, Germany
Hi Michael, here's the feedback from my students concerning your workshop: Good atmosphere, everybody even had the courage to sing. Well structured; everybody always knew the next step. Fantastic explanations, easy to remember. If somebody asks something, the whole group gets a suitable answer. So, as you can see: very positive! Everybody enjoyed it. They loved playing together.
Asier Suberbiola, jazz violin teacher, Barcelona
