British Jazz Pianist Nikki Yeoh joins Music Education Islington

Recognized as one of the most ground-breaking contemporary jazz composers and pianists of her generation, Nikki has worked with the likes of Courtney Pine, Billy Cobham, Sir George Martin, Nigel Kennedy, The Roots and Neneh Cherry.

As a teacher and educator, Nikki teaches piano at The Camden School for Girls and Portland Place School, runs jazz ensembles for Camden Music and is a mentor for Music for Youth. She was also the Musical Director for the finalists of the BBC Young Jazz Musician 2020.

Nikki’s work with Music Education Islington will begin with teaching her new course ‘Jazz, Funk, Fusion, Afrobeat, Experimental and beyond band practice' from Monday 17 January. Together with Binker Golding, Nikki will support students to develop their band and solo skills, learn to improvise and perform with and in front of others. The course will be delivered at Music Education Islington’s new music centre at Elizabeth Garret Anderson School every Monday term-time from 4.30-6.30pm. Any person age 6-18 who is confident to play all twelve notes on their instrument can join, and discounts are given to those who live or attend school in Islington. Bursaries are available for those in need of financial assistance.

Yeoh won Jazz FM Instrumentalist of the Year in 2017 and in 1999 was a semi-finalist at the piano competition at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Her new composition ‘Nucleus’, commissioned by the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, will be premiered in 2022. Her own experiences – starting to compose at the age of 5, sitting in the hallway at her Nan’s council flat in 1978 in Islington on a pile of A to Z’s in order to reach the piano keys – as well as learning her skills as part of Weekend Arts College (W.A.C) at the pioneering Jazz Workshop led by Ian Carr, will inspire and underpin her work with Music Education Islington.

Find out more about Nikki's jazz course and sign up here.