J a z z  F i d d l e  W i z a r d
 

BIOGRAPHY:

Photo Jeff Franks

MARTIN NORGAARD BIOS

Short Version:

Martin Norgaard, Ph.D., is the author of ten jazz string method books for Mel Bay Publications including Jazz Fiddle Wizard and Jazz Fiddle/Viola/Cello Wizard Junior. His recently completed dissertation, Descriptions of Improvisational Thinking by Artist-level Jazz Musicians, is a qualitative investigation of the cognitive processes underlying improvisation. Norgaard is a frequent clinician at state, national and international conventions such as Singapore International String Conference, ASTA, TMEA and IAJE, and has taught at summer workshops such as the Santa Fe Suzuki Institute, the IAJE Teacher Training Institute and Strings Without Boundaries. Check out his web site at JazzFiddleWizard.com.

Long Version:

Martin Norgaard, Ph.D., is the author of the groundbreaking methods Jazz Fiddle Wizard, Getting Into Gypsy Jazz Violin, Jazz Fiddle Wizard Junior, Jazz Viola Wizard Junior and Jazz Cello Wizard Junior Volumes 1 and 2 for Mel Bay Publications. He has also composed several orchestra pieces for FJH Music and is the co-author of the Modern Violin Method and the Modern Viola Method with Dr. Laurie Scott. Norgaard recently completed his doctoral studies in Music and Human Learning at The University of Texas at Austin. His dissertation Descriptions of Improvisational Thinking by Artist-level Jazz Musicians is a qualitative investigation of the cognitive processes underlying improvisation.

Norgaard taught jazz and commercial strings at Belmont University and Vanderbilt University in Nashville for six years, and was director of the Belmont Jazz String Quartet and Jazz String Septet, which were featured at IAJE 2001, MENC 2002 and ASTA 2003.

Norgaard holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in jazz performance from William Paterson University, and Queens College in New York, where he studied with Rufus Reid, Hal Galper, Jimmy Heath and others.

Norgaard is a frequent clinician at state, national and international conventions such as Singapore International String Conference, ASTA, TMEA, SAA, OMEA, IMEA, GMEA, MENC, and IAJE, and has taught at summer workshops such as the IAJE Teacher Training Institute, the South Carolina Suzuki Institute, the Santa Fe Suzuki Institute, the Augusta Heritage Festival and Vanderbilt’s International Fiddle School. Check out his web site at JazzFiddleWizard.com.
 

For more information contact Martin by e-mail at Martin@jazzNOSPAMfiddlewizard.com (remove NOSPAM before sending)

Jazz Fiddle Wizard home
Copyright © 2004 Martin Norgaard. All Rights Reserved.