118 1/2 S. Navarra Drive
Scotts Valley CA 95066
USA
831-461-0584
Email:
Travels to: Anywhere in the US
Biography:
Cellist and clinician Renata Bratt is president of the International Association for Jazz Education String Caucus where, together with Darol Anger and Martin Norgaard, she serves as a Resource Team Leader. She is co-chair of the American String Teachers Association/National School Orchestra Association Alternative String Styles Forum Steering Committee. She writes articles on improvisation for ASTA and the American Suzuki Journal and is a former president of the Suzuki Music Association of California. Her arrangements of Dix Bruce's "BackUp Trax: Old Time & Fiddle Tunes for Cello" are newly released with Mel Bay Publications. She is the author of the forthcoming "The Jazz Cellist" and "The Fiddling Cellist" for Mel Bay Publications. In addition to concertizing with various classical, jazz, and fiddle groups, Ms. Bratt has performed as a backup musician for such luminaries as Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, David Sanborn, Lyle Lovett, and Dionne Warwick. Rolling Stone magazine dubbed her an "ace performer" for her recording and touring work with alternative rocker Cindy Lee Berryhill's Garage Orchestra. Ms. Bratt received her Ph.D. in Music from the University of California at San Diego.Renata has been a clinician for various national conferences including ASTA WITH NSOA National Conference, Columbus, Ohio,ASTA WITH NSOA National Studio Teacher Forum. East Lansing, MI., IAJE Conference, Long Beach, California, New York City, and the Suzuki Association of the Americas, Cincinnati, OH. She has also been an instructor for various workshops including the Henry Mancini Institute, Mark O'Connor Fiddle Conference, Colorado Suzuki Institute at Snowmass, South Carolina Suzuki Institute and others.
Formal Education includes:
Ph.D. in Music, University of California, San Diego
Dissertation: A Study of String Practice in Selected Large Orchestral Works
of Igor Stravinsky, principal artist teacher, Daniel Rothmuller
M.A. in Music Performance (cello), California State University, Northridge. Principal artist teacher, Peter Rejto
B.A. in Music, Pomona College. Principal artist teacher, Gabor Rejto
String Jazz Coaches; David Baker, David Balakrishnan, Matt Glaser, David Hollender, Mark Summer
"Jazz Improvisation for Cello or Mixed Strings"
Material to be covered: Basic Jazz Rhythmic Structures, the Blues Scale, Basic Melodic Motifs, Playing over Chord Changes, Bass Lines, Chords, Backup Harmony. Bibliography. Enhance your music theory knowledge with hands-on practical music making. Learn to enjoy creating music spontaneously using step-by-step methodology. Bring your instrument!
"Fiddling for Cellists or Mixed Strings"
Material to be covered: tunes in a number of different styles including Celtic, Old time, bluegrass and newgrass, bass lines and back-up harmony as well as improvisational soloing over the chord changes. Learning simple chord changes begins the process of relating music theory to actual music and to your own instrument.
"Accompaniment Styles for Cello"
All cellists expand their harmonic and chordal knowledge by learning how to accompany jazz, bluegrass and fiddle tunes. Cellists are a welcome part of jam sessions in a variety of styles. Learn to interpret chord changes on the cello by using jazz walking bass, Latin bass, fingering major, minor and seventh chords, and playing bluegrassy rhythm "bass" parts.
"Integrating String Improvisation Into School Programs"
National Music Standard #3 is "Improvisation." In addition to satisfying this standard, when students have a creative voice, they practice more and stay with their instruments longer. Teachers learn techniques to help students 1. Improvise "answers" 2. Improvise accompaniments 3. Improvise melodies. Listening to music creatively, responding to music creatively, fostering a creative attitude in the student.
"A History of Bowed Strings in Jazz"
How did those African rhythms and scales get into jazz? A lecture and listening session of bowed string music from Africa through Europe and into the United States - from string and jug bands through the present day.
"Teaching Improvisation in the Private Studio"
Why Improvise? When Should the Student Start to Improvise? Types of Improvisation Activities. Listening. Advancing with your students.You Can Teach Improvisation using these method books: Hand out of tips and bibliography.
"The Jazz String Orchestra"
Directing a string orchestra using jazz tunes including room for jazz improvisation. Methods for directing with a rhythm section and teaching syncopated rhythms, getting the most out of your soloists, bibliography of material that can be used at every level. If cellist Renata Bratt is combined with pianist/composer/arranger Bert Ligon and violinist Martin Norgaard, this can be a day long or week-end workshop incorporating break-out sessions for your strings (jazz theory, jazz for cellists, violists and violinists and so on) and/or rhythm section and a concert with our jazz trio of piano, violin, and cello.