University News Last updated 21 May
Alumnus Ben Partridge (pictured) has recently been accepted on a Master’s in Composition at Jazz Institut Graz, the oldest jazz institute in Europe. We caught up with Ben to find out how his journey from studying BMus Jazz at RBC has led him to studying and composing in Austria’s second city.
Ben, please tell us about yourself…
I am a Composer, Arranger and Saxophonist from Cheltenham, who has been based in Birmingham since I came to RBC in 2019. I studied on the BMus Jazz course and graduated with first-class honours in the summer of 2023.
I studied most notably with Lecturers Mike Williams, Ed Puddick and Trish Clowes, initially solely as a Saxophonist, but increasingly as a Composer as I progressed in my degree.
What are your most memorable moments from studying here?
My highlights at RBC include performances around Birmingham and the UK, with both in-house bands and my own projects. I was a member of the RBC Duke Ellington and RBC Jazz orchestras, as well as the Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra. I played in the 2023 Exchange Concert at my local Cheltenham Jazz Festival, which was another fantastic experience, having played the late-night Hotel du Vin jam session the year before.
The opportunities to support touring artists were also the roots of the band I front today, Sixways, which was formed out of music written for one of these support slots.
Do you have a favourite moment from RBC?
The most impactful moment for me was winning the 2022 Mike Gibbs Composition and Arranging Prize and subsequently being asked to arrange one of Gibbs' pieces for a concert at RBC celebrating his 85th birthday.
This was a touchstone moment for me, not only to have my arrangement played in front of the man himself but also to hear arrangements by RBC graduates and established composers Ed Puddick, Charlie Bates, Olivia Murphy, Liam Brennan and Alcyona Mick.
How did you hear about the opportunity in Graz?
The guest soloist for that evening with Mike Gibbs was renowned Saxophonist Julian Arguelles, who teaches in Graz. I remember discussing opportunities for Jazz composing and arranging Master’s programmes.
This was the first I had heard of the Jazz Institut Graz, the oldest bastion for Jazz Education in Europe, dating back to 1964. In the intervening two-and-a-half years, and with my specific interest in big band composition; something that Graz and the German and Austrian scenes specialise in, it became a much more attractive option.
What lead to you applying to study there?
I applied after a preliminary meeting with Composer and Arranger Ed Partyka. Ed has strong links to one of my biggest influences, trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, someone who I cannot wait to study under!
I was then invited to interview and to bring in some of my pieces in early April this year.
How did it feel to get accepted?
I was thrilled to discover that I was successful. I went to spend two lovely days in Graz at the end of April, exploring the city and meeting some other Composers who I may be studying with in September.
I am hugely looking forward to this opportunity and can’t wait to continue my studies! I’d also like to place on record my thanks to all those who supported my studies at RBC, as I would not be in this position if it weren't for them.