In preparation for the release of The Improviser’s Classroom — and marking my second year of teaching at the University of Miami — I sat down with some of my colleagues at the Frost School of Music to talk about how musical improvisation impacts their teaching. Scroll down for interviews with Dafnis Prieto, Roxana Amed, Maria Alejandra Quintanilla, Renato Diz, and Zach Bartholomew.
Next Tuesday (10 June 2025), Dafnis and I will appear at Books and Books in Coral Gables for a local launch for our new books. The official release for The Improviser’s Classroom was in April at the University of Guelph; and I’m excited to bring the work to UM and the Miami area, especially in conversation with such a dynamic and renowned educator/improviser as Dafnis. Here are the details…
DAFNIS PRIETO
With Dafnis passing hallway greetings can quickly turn into passionate, extended dialogues; and our chat about The Improviser’s Classroom was no different. Learn more about Dafnis at this link, more about his recent album Three Sides of the Coin here, and information on his new book What are the Odds? here.
“And that’s what we want to expose the students to: using improvisation as a great intuitive but also knowledgeable pathway to get to where you want to go.”
Dafnis Prieto
ROXANA AMED
As with Dafnis it’s been such a joy to get to know Roxana not just as a stellar artist, but a caring person and first-rate colleague. All these traits come across clearly in our conversation. Learn more about Roxana at this link, and more about her recent album Becoming Human here. (The new album she mentions at the end of the interview was just released. Look for Todos los fuegos!)
“I don’t think there is even one student that does anything similar to what I do as an artist. And that is a challenge for me…because it makes me think, ‘Okay, let’s try to see how I make her sing — what she has in her heart and doesn’t know. So I have to improvise.'”
Roxana Amed
MARIA ALEJANDRA QUINTANILLA
In terms of technical vocal mastery, Maria has few peers; and she’s shown incredible breadth in all her guest appearances with Frost ensembles over my first two years here. Learn more about Maria at this link, and more about her recent album Irrefragible Laws here. Since this interview, Maria has finished her doctorate and accepted a position in the jazz voice program at Frost!
“When we can inspire students to look at other artistic forms or science or math, I think they’re able to really pull things into their own art.”
Maria Quintanilla
RENATO DIZ
As a member of the jazz piano studio who also visits the Musicology Department regularly, Renato and I have had a lot to talk about. His affable spirit of adventurous exploration — which is readily apparent in our conversation — inspires his students and colleagues alike. Learn more about Renato at this link, and more about his recent album Descriptions of Useless Subtitles and Meaningful Sublimations here.
“I am a firm believer that improvisation is interspecies; and it’s ever-present; and it’s underlying pretty much any action that involves a decision-making process.”
Renato Diz
ZACH BARTHOLOMEW
Zach is an alumnus of the Frost School who has continued his jazz piano and pedagogy careers at Florida Memorial University, where he’s breaking new ground with their Music program. He’s a fixture on the Miami jazz scene and is cultivating much wider audiences thanks to his debut recording. Learn more about Zach at this link, and more about that album Balancing Act here.
“I’m trying to set them up to become better practicers and to really understand the music, and what to listen for, and different ways of thinking.”
Zach Bartholomew
The Improviser’s Classroom: Pedagogies for Co-Creative Worldmaking is out now on Temple University Press. If you’re in the Miami area, please join Dafnis and me for our local release on Tuesday, June 10th, at Books and Books in Coral Gables, where both of our new books will be available for purchase and signing.
The Rhythm of Study 