Be inspired. Be empowered. Be creative!
13th August 2026 – 16th August 2026 at Benenden School, Kent
The NYJC Summer Short Course is an inspirational 4-day residential feeder course for applicants aged 14-17 who clearly demonstrate musical talent at their audition but are not yet ready for the main Improvisers’ Summer School.
Participants progress hugely over the 4 days; at least 40% of Short Course participants progress onto NYJC’s pinnacle Improvisers’ Summer School the following year. 90% of each Summer School cohort then goes on to study jazz or composition at conservatoire before taking the scene by storm!
How it works
We offer up to 48 places on the 4-day Feeder Short Course for auditionees that demonstrated great talent but didn’t quite pass the audition and so would benefit greatly from an extra boost of jazz support before auditioning again for next year’s NYJC Improvisers’ Summer School.
After learning a bespoke programme of repertoire by ear (forwarded in a briefing email one month before the start of the course) Short Course students play in one of four combos alongside young musicians of a similar standard. They’ll be guided by four of our faculty’s outstanding teaching artists, before ending the course with an afternoon concert to an audience of family and friends.
Students also attend masterclasses, workshops, and the 7-day Summer school, “Good Practice for Young Jazz Musicians” seminar and closing concert.
Dates
Auditions: NYJC’s 15-day national audition tour will take place between 28 March – 16 April 2026
Feeder Short Course: Thursday 13 August – Sunday 16 August 2026
Cost
The registration fee for the Summer School Short Course is £410*
This covers accommodation, food (breakfast, lunch and dinner), and all teaching and activities throughout the duration of the course.
*NYJC offers bursaries
We don’t want anyone to miss out because they cannot afford the fees. NYJC offers means-tested bursaries for those needing financial help. This can include covering the full cost of the course enrolment fee, and transport costs to both our free auditions and the summer school. Bursaries also cover the cost of an accompanying traveller for under 16s.
The Location
Benenden School in Kent
Benenden School, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 4AA
Benenden School is an independent boarding school for girls in Kent, England. It is located in the beautiful Hemsted Park at Benenden in the Kent countryside, between Cranbrook and Tenterden.
In 2022, Benenden opened a brand-new state-of-the-art Music School, which also includes the highly impressive state-of-the-art Centenary Hall (capacity 750) designed by the multi award-winning Guy Hollaway Architects and offering state-of-the-art acoustics, which give audiences a truly amazing performance experience.
The Music School also features a smaller Recital Hall, with capacity for an audience of around 150 people, offering a performance space in a more intimate environment, perfect for rehearsals and smaller performances such as the nightly jam sessions and tutors’ concert. The Music School also has 20 practice rooms, five additional ensemble classrooms, a beautiful chapel and IT suite.