Music director, composer and jazz musician Jilly is a multi-instrumentalist who works with schools and youth and adult community groups on songwriting and performance projects. She uses improvisation as a way for the individual voice to be heard and celebrated within a cooperative group setting.

Founder and Creative Director of BlueJam Arts (bluejamarts.org) she enjoys collaborating with other artists and organisations. Currently she is establishing a network of Improv Choirs in England and Scotland, writing an online improvisation resource for teachers and devising gamelan, samba and jazz performances for the summer festivals.

This website is divided into Work and Play. 

“The Play section contains music I’ve written and arranged for jazz bands and vocal groups. Collaborations, performances, events and improvisations.

The Work section contains teaching, direction, projects with youth and intergenerational groups, training resources and music for choirs and schools.

The main difference is I get paid for work and sometimes get paid for play.

Often the Play section feels like hard work and the Work section is a party.”

CURRENT PROJECTS
One Small Bird

The Ballad of the Red-Necked Phalarope
by Kate Stilitz and Jilly Jarman
Originally commissioned by Haringay Music Service for 2000 young singers and instrumentalists, for performance June 27th 2016 Royal Albert Hall.

Next performance with Cumbria Youth Orchestra, primary school choirs and BlueJam Youth Jazz Ensemble at The Sands, Carlisle, July 10th 2017

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Solo performance Coach-house Stage, Moniaive Folk Festival May 7th 2017