Saint Louis hosts Jörg Leichtfried, pianist, composer and lecturer at the JAM Music Lab in Vienna, an Erasmus+ partner institute.

On March 24 and 25, 2026, Jörg Leichtfried will give a free masterclass and individual piano lessons reserved for Saint Louis students.

A collaboration between the two Erasmus+ partner institutions that results in an important educational opportunity for piano students: two days of work with a professional active on the international scene, in a high-level educational setting that strengthens Saint Louis’ European network.

Jörg Leichtfried’s program at Saint Louis

Tuesday, March 24, 2026, h 11:00 a.m. – 1:oo p.m. – Masterclass “Solo interpretation: standards and original compositions.” Group session devoted to the development of solo piano interpretation in modern jazz. Leichtfried guides students through the analysis and performance of standards and original pieces, with attention to the voice as an autonomous narrative tool.

Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. – One-hour individual lessons. One-on-one meetings with the teacher: each student brings his or her own repertoire and receives direct feedback on technique, phrasing, and harmonic conception.

The visiting professor

Jörg Leichtfried (Vienna, 1984) è pianista, compositore e docente di Jazz Piano al JAM Music Lab e alla Friedrich Gulda School of Music di Vienna. He received his Master of Arts degree with honors in Jazz Piano from the Music and Arts Private University in Vienna.

His concert activity covers more than 20 countries, with appearances at major European and international festivals: Dresdner Jazztage, Warsaw Jazz Festival, Jazzablanca (Casablanca), Carthage Jazz Festival, Porgy & Bess Vienna. Ha tenuto masterclass alla Latvian Academy of Music (2023) e alla Vytautas Magnus University di Kaunas (2024).

Among the awards: the Cultural Award of the Province of Lower Austria (2021) and the State Fellowship for Composition (2024). His most recent productions include “Old Friends” (2025) and “Words Have Vanished Into Silence” with the Koehne Quartett (2024).

The contents of the Masterclass

The masterclass focuses on the development of solo piano performance in modern jazz with a focus on the role of the left hand in the piano, one of the most neglected aspects in traditional teaching and at the same time most crucial in the sound of a mature pianist.

The curriculum includes:

• Practical exercises from the manuscript “Harmonic and Rhythmic Possibilities – Patterns for the Left Hand,” distributed free of charge to participants
• Rhythmic stability and flexibility: the choreography of the two hands
• Contrapuntal movements of the voices
• Harmonization
• Movements of internal items
• Phrasing and articulation
• Thinking in broad rhythmic units and “playing over the bar line”

Free and reserved masterclass for Saint Louis students and alumni, by reservation (limited seats).

Training credits for academic courses.: 0.5 CFA

For one-on-one jazz piano lessons with Jörg Leichtfried, any interested student can book their one-hour slot, between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25, by writing to rossella.gaudenzi@saintlouis.eu

The class is free and entitles the student to 0.5 CFA.