MUSIC JOURNALISM COURSE

Cape Town International Jazz Festival provides short course for working and aspiring music writers.

Ever read a music story in your newspaper and wondered where the reviewer learned to do it? In fact, many reviewers simply had to teach themselves – because there are no dedicated music journalism courses in South Africa!

Except for one. Every year, the Cape Town International Jazz Festival provides a short course for working and aspiring music writers. Over the first six years, 95 people have benefited from the programme, including journalists writing for the Mail & Guardian, ClassicFeel, the Star Tonight, Bush Radio, Music Industry Online and many more publications, stations and websites.

The programme draws participants from print, online and broadcast journalists, photojournalists, arts publicists, arts and media students, performers and cultural workers. Like the rest of the CTIJF, the course takes its community responsibility seriously. Every year, bursaries – this year kindly supported by BASA (Business & Arts South Africa) - make it possible for community journalists, students and freelancers to take part.

The curriculum covers the syllabus of the Specialist Journalism Unit Standard (117541) of the SAQA-accredited Level Five National Certificate in Journalism. Those on a learnership at a media house will supplement their end-of-year assessment portfolios with insightful arts stories.

Course participants will be mentored to generate and pitch exciting and fresh music stories, improve reporting, interviewing and writing in ways directly relevant to arts journalism. Those in radio and multimedia will be guided as to effectively collect and edit the best sound for their stories. Journalists will learn how to build up the right contacts and how to reach readers or listeners with accessible, interesting arts news and features.

The week-long programme isn't just about classroom learning. Participants are set intensely practical mentored assignments covering every aspect of the Festival, from concerts to workshops. Radio participants – usually either student broadcast journalists or new entrants to the newsroom -- learn to develop basic radio reporting skills and apply them to specialist arts reporting; trainees are expected to produce work from the first day, using the working environment of the jazz festival, interviewing musicians, attending press conferences and producing specialist radio features and inserts.

In the past, enterprising learners have sometimes gained unique access to Festival role-players and exclusive stories. One 2008 participant told us: “These sessions helped teach me how to balance literary creativity with consumer understanding and commercial viability…The practical side really helps to understand what covering the music industry demands of a writer.”

Among the trainers is Gwen Ansell who is a well-known media trainer/ consultant and author of both university journalism set text Introduction to Journalism and the SA jazz history book Soweto Blues. She works as a freelance arts writer for the Mail & Guardian, The Weekender and Business Day among others, and collaborated on the South Africa chapters in the current edition of The Rough Guide To World Music. In 2008, she was Louis Armstrong Visiting Professor in the Center for Jazz Studies at Columbia University in New York.

Karen Williams is a journalist and media trainer who works in Africa and Asia. She started her career as an arts editor at the anti-apartheid weekly, South. Since then she has worked at the IAJ, BBC World Service, BBC World Service Trust and Internews, among others. Her media work encompasses the arts, international justice, conflict reporting and human rights.

The dates of the course are from March 28 to April 4 (full-time). The fee of R1,200 includes admission to relevant events and a portfolio of learning materials.

Course participation is by advance application only and class size is strictly limited. Only 24 places (12 print, 12 broadcast) are available. Applications must be received not later than close of business on March 6, 2009.

Apply early! See CTIJF website for full details including bursary on www.capetownjazzfest.com