How to Win at Scatting!
2 Saturdays, Oct. 18 & 25, 2025
Online Workshop with Michele Weir
Hosted by: The California Jazz Conservatory
2 Saturdays: October 18 and 25, 11:00 - 1:00 PST
$133 total ($148 on the day of)
You’ve probably heard it before, but it’s worth saying again: learning to scat sing is a lot like learning a language. It takes repeated listening, imitation, and creative experimentation based on the models you’ve been hearing.
The How to Win at Scatting! workshop is activity based: please come ready to sing! We'll work on syllable drills to support your expanding rhythmic vocabulary and sense of groove. We'll practice a variety of melodic shapes, phrase lengths and repetition patterns - helping you build a "Melodic Ideas Library" to use as building blocks when scatting. And we'll do foundational work on Hearing the Changes of jazz chord progressions, with exercises for Singing the Changes that can be applied to any song.
Michele will give you recommend practice exercises (homework) in between Weeks 1 and 2 of the Workshop, and you can optionally stay a little past the conclusion of each workshop for Q&A time.
This Workshop is designed for vocalists with beginning to intermediate experience in scat singing. However, it's open to anyone who would like to attend as there is very likely is something for everyone! We can adjust and adapt to participant interests and experience levels.
WORKSHOP DATES:
SESSION #1: October 18, 2025 / 11:00 - 1:00 pm (PST / Pacific Standard Time)
SESSION #2: October 25, 2025 / 11:00 - 1:00 pm (PST / Pacific Standard Time)
COST: $133 USD Advance (Total for 2 Saturdays / $148 the day of)
https://jazzschool.org/community-programs/event/online-how-to-win-at-scatting-with-michele-weir/
HOSTED BY: The California Jazz Conservatory
Your Instructor
Michele Weir is a distinguished educator who has made significant contributions to the advancement of vocal jazz education, globally. As an arranger / pianist / vocalist, she is well known for her versatile skill set and ability to inspire. As one student put it, “Thank you again for being such an amazing mentor. You are truly the person I strive to be.”
Michele’s arrangements have been performed by renowned vocal groups such as New York Voices and the Swingle Singers, in addition to orchestral works played by symphonies including the Boston Pops. Michele served as Vocal Producer for the Manhattan Transfer’s 2009 CD release, The Chick Corea Songbook,contributing two arrangements to the project as well. Her numerous educational arrangements are available through various publishers in addition to her online platform, the MichMusic Store.
Currently on faculty at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Michele is an active teacher and clinician. Her expertise has taken her to over 20 countries, presenting at premier music conferences such as the World Choral Symposium, the Jazz Education Network Conference, and the ACDA National Conference. A notable highlight was her invitation to be Keynote Speaker for the inaugural International Jazz Voice Conference in Helsinki, 2015.
Michele’s educational contributions include globally recognized book/CD sets: Vocal Improvisation (Schott Music), Jazz Singer's Handbook, and Jazz Piano Handbook (both from Alfred Publishing). Innovating further, she introduced the first iOS app designed for scat singers, ScatAbility, as well as her online educational resource, MusicHabit, designed for jazz singers, pianists, arrangers, and educators. (www.MusicHabit.com)
Michele is a former member of the Grammy-nominated PM Singers vocal group under Phil Mattson’s direction, and she collaborated with jazz guitarist Bruce Forman on their duo CD, The Sound of Music. As a performer, Michele has headlined as a vocalist for numerous educational events and toured as pianist and background singer for Bobby Vinton, among others. Michele served as Music Supervisor for the DreamWorks film, Prince of Egypt, journeying through Europe and Asia to oversee the music production for the film's international dubs.