We had a quick chat with one of our current Bachelor students and Student Representative for 2020, Peter Yi to discuss his experience thus far studying at JMI and how it has benefited him and his future as a musician.
Firstly, tell us a bit about yourself. What instrument are you currently learning and when did you first start playing music?
At JMI I’m currently studying the guitar. As a child I received violin lessons and messed around on the piano a little. Music was just a fun hobby for me until I decided to pursue my jazz education at JMI.
Why did you choose JMI to do your Bachelor in Music?
To be honest it all started when I decided to move from Sydney to Brisbane on a whim. I decided that slaving away at a hair salon was not for me. I’ve always been fascinated by music theory but really it was an impulse decision… and I’m so certain that I made the right choice!
Has Jazz always been a passion of yours, or did JMI further introduce you to Jazz?
I have always been curious about jazz, but largely I was fresh to the culture when I started. It gets very moreish, very quickly.
How do you feel learning jazz has benefited you as a musician in the wider musical landscape?
I believe that learning jazz is one of the best ways to learn music. Jazz teaches you to think critically, be disciplined and work together with other people as a team. The best musicians in the world quite often have some level of jazz training. Also, you meet some very cool people when you go to a school full of musicians.
What in your opinion is one of the best parts about the JMI Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance course?
The content in this course is incredibly comprehensive and teaches you all the most important practical skills to become a performing musician in the real world. Learning at JMI inspires you to go out and immerse yourself in the culture of the music. Also, in the classroom, JMI’s selectively small class sizes means the teachers work much closer with the students.
What is your favourite part about JMI in general? What makes it unique or stand out to you?
The quality of education and passionate faculty are so wonderful, but that’s expected from a top-tier musical institution. What I’ve really enjoyed the most is the wonderful friendships I have made. I don’t have any family here but JMI has certainly become family to me.
Would you recommend JMI as a place to study for future students, and why?
I would recommend studying at JMI to those who would like to become highly skilled musicians and play great swinging jazz.
And a fun one – what transcriptions or specific techniques are you learning at the moment?
Lately I’ve been into transcribing pianists. I end up spending a lot of time trying to figure out how on earth I’m going to play piano voicings on the guitar. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it’s just not possible. But that’s the fun.
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To find out more about our Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance course and how to apply, click here.