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John Riley
Organist - Pianist - Improviser -Teacher
Improvisation Workshops - Organ
A flexible and pragmatic 'mix and match' of materials is applied to all workshops.
Below are a few samples, which in themselves have the scope for considerable adaptation.
Preliminary
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'From Distant Times and Places' - Creating simple melodies from ancient modes.
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'Picture this' - Creating moods and images through different types of rhythm, tempi, melodic shapes etc.
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‘Blues and Jazz Echoes’ – Single line call and response melodies round a fixed bass.
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'Sound the Trumpet!' - Fanfares based on the triad.
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'Spice up the hymn' - Simple embellishments of hymn tunes and songs.
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'Independent Hands' - Two part ostinati.
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'Go Baroque' - Short two-part voluntaries in Baroque styles built on I & V chords.
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'Contemporary Freestyle - I' - Accessible contemporary style improvisations on simple motifs or melodic phrases.
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'Renaissance Rhythms' - Renaissance style dances using modal melodies and one or two chords.
Intermediate
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'Prelude to Evensong' - Modally based preludes in an 'English' style, using fuller textures and elements of counterpoint.
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'Extend the Hymn' - Short hymn extensions through such techniques as motivic development and elaborated cadences.
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'The Glories of Plainsong' - Simple harmonisations and short preludes based on plainchant.
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'Sequence the Jazz and Blues' - Jazz and Blues style sequences using I IV and V chords.
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'Build from the Bass' - Baroque style two-part chaconnes.
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'Romantic Interludes' - Short Romantic style preludes based on I, IV, V chords and simple modulations.
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'Final Flourish' - Two-part toccatas with simple modulations.
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'Go Fugal - I' - Simple two or three part Fughettas in either diatonic and modally based styles.
Advanced
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'Embellish the Theme' - Variations in the styles of the late Renaissance/Early Baroque.
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'Melodies can go anywhere' - Baroque style chorale trios with emphasis on placing the theme in inner and bass parts.
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'Go French' - 20th Century French style preludes based on modal harmony.
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'Romantic Sonata' - Sonata form movements in late Romantic style.
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'Go Contrapuntal' - Early imitative forms such as Renaissance and early Baroque Ricecare and Fantasia.
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'Go Fugal - II' - Complete fugues in Baroque, Romantic and 20th Century modal styles.
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'Grand Finale' - Toccatas in Romantic and 20th Century styles.
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'Contemporary Freestyle - III' - 'Contemporary' style improvisations using a full range of textures and thematic development.
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