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The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay are going to visit the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival which starts at the end of next week.

On Monday 21 July 2014, the royal couple will visit an Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival workshop at Edinburgh Napier University Jazz Summer School.

The Jazz Summer School is a week-long intensive course, covering practical approaches to improvisation and performance. Designed to develop jazz playing skills for musicians of all ages and abilities, the course includes instrumental and ensemble coaching from professional jazz musicians and educators under the directorship of the university’s Jazz Musician in residence, Haftor Medboe.

In attendance at the workshop will be Artscape’s Youth Band, a South African group directed by acclaimed trumpeter, Ian Smith. The band is comprised of young people from the townships of Cape Town, who are provided with learning and development opportunities through music. They will be performing at the Edinburgh Festival Carnival on 20 July 2014.

Fiona Alexander, Producer of the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, said:- “We are honoured and delighted that The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay have chosen to visit the Jazz & Blues Festival. We hope they will enjoy gaining an insight into one of our community projects and also hearing some of the diverse music that we present at the Festival from both international and homegrown talent.”

Haftor Medbøe, Jazz Musician in Residence, Edinburgh Napier University said: – “Edinburgh Napier University’s brand new music facilities opened just last year and are amongst the best music teaching spaces in Europe and beyond. Hosting the Jazz School is a fantastic highlight of our year and we love working with the students, who have ranged from 14 to 84 years of age and include both complete beginners and professionals. We’re delighted that this summer we will have some very special guests in attendance.”

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Photos © Simon Williams

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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.