About tHE aCADEMY
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Formed in 2023, Fertile Minds Jazz Academy brings jazz lovers together to improve, learn, and collaborate. Regardless of skill level, you’ll find tailored lessons and a bunch of other useful tips that you won’t find anywhere else!
What You'll Learn
- Jazz theory
- Improvisation techniques
- Live performance skills
- Jazz History
- Transcription
Who Is This For?
This community is perfect for jazz pianists who want to benefit from personalized lessons, courses, and interactive workshops in a supportive community.
Meet The Founder
Khadijah Simon, who holds Grade 5 practical piano certification from ABRSM, is an Antiguan-born pianist, educator and author who exhibited a profound love for music since early childhood. This enduring passion has allowed her the opportunity to perform in Antigua, the USA, and the UK with musicians to include Larnell Lewis, Rich Brown, Vince McCoy, and Saadi Zain.
Her formal introduction to jazz is attributed to the late Bruce Skerritt, a pianist, educator, and composer from St. Kitts and Nevis. Under his mentorship, she learned various unique techniques that enhanced her abilities tenfold. She has also studied with Harry Likas, the technical editor for “The Jazz Piano Book,” a popular book for jazz pianists at all levels.
In 2024, Khadijah was sponsored by UNESCO to attend “Jazz Emprende” in Havana, Cuba, where she had the opportunity to learn and seek advice from prominent jazz musicians such as Robert Glasper, Aldo Mazza and Derrick Hodge.