Some of your Questions:
Dates, Travel, Accomodation and Fees
When does the summer school start & finish?
2025: Summer school begins at 9:30am on Tuesday July 22, 2025, and ends on the evening of Sunday 27th July, time TBC.
Where is the summer school?
ATU Sligo, Ballinode.
Map Location
Where/when do we go on Tuesday Morning?
9:30am ATU Sligo Main Concourse (The entrance near the giant fish!) 10am every other morning with the first workshop in the Aurivo auditorium unless otherwise announced.
What international airport is the nearest to Sligo?
The nearest international airport is Knock – which serves UK and a handful of European destinations. For other European travellers, we recommend flying to Dublin or UK and connecting by train to Sligo station. It is also possible to reach Sligo via Shannon airport but connections are more difficult without a car.
How far is Sligo from Dublin airport?
2:30 hours by road. 3 hrs by train (www.irishrail.ie), 3:30 by bus (buseireann.ie) from Connolly station plus a short bus trip connection to/from Dublin airport.
Is accommodation available, and if so, what type?
YES, in The Grove apartments. All rooms are ensuite, with WiFI. You book the accommodation directly with the providers this year as outlined here
Map Location
Map Location
How much is tuition?
Prices are subject to change, please see our bookings page each year for pricing details.
How much does accommodation cost, and how is it done?
Instructions re booking accommodation are in the summer school accommodation section.
Does “Single” (or “Double”) Sharing Apartment mean you have a separate bedroom?
Yes, you just share a common kitchen with others. Your bedroom has a bathroom attached.
Does the acommodation supply towels and linen?
Yes
When can we check in to our accommodation?
Your accommodation should be booked Monday-Sunday inclusive (7 nights). The accommodation providers should be in contact with you directly about this, please contact them if you havent been contacted.
If I can get to Knock Ireland West, how do I get to Sligo?
Buses run from Ireland West airport to Sligo, check the buseireann.ie website. We can not guarantee pickup at Knock. Exclusive pickups can cost up to €50 depending on driver availability. Beware: Taxis from Knock – Sligo can cost up to €100. Check www.buseireann.ie or Knock airport website for more info.
I live outside of Ireland. Can I pay via Paypal or a credit card?
Please use our new shop on this website to book and pay your summer school fees by credit card on Eventbrite, our payment provider.
Age Limits, Youth FAQ
Are there age limits?
We accept participants from 10 years old and upwards, with a recommended guideline of Grade 3 upwards (classical or rockschool grades). With regards the festival venues, there may be age restrictions on some late night events but most venues are very cooperative.
Can I send my child to the summer school unaccompanied?
No. Minors must be delivered/picked up by adults to/from the summer school, and accompanied in their accommodation, either by a parent, guardian or older sibling. The guardian must take charge of minors outside of workshops/masterclasses timetabled times and accompany them to all concerts. See our code of conduct page for more info.
Summer School Workshops, Levels, Grades
I’m coming to the summer school and am a beginner/intermediate level player – what standards should I look at prior to the event?
Have a look at this website http://www.jazzstandards.com/compositions/index.htm – its a list of the most popular standards, so anything from this list is a good start! Don’t worry though as there will no doubt be new tunes introduced during the week, perhaps even some originals depending on tutor & level.
I’m really a jazz beginner, will I learn anything or will it be over my head?
We recommend a guideline playing standard of Grade 3 or higher to benefit fully from our summer school. Reading ability is a huge plus. We do cater for jazz beginners, meaning someone who has decent chord knowledge and moderate playing technique but may not have played jazz before. Best thing is try to get your head (or voice/limbs!) around some jazz standards before you come, prepare as much as possible, and you will learn loads and have a lot of fun.
Are there certain parts of the repertoire we should know in advance?
It is good for jazz beginners to learn a few basic standards. Contact SJP for a list of these. However during the summer school, each tutor will decide on their repertoire, for ensembles and masterclass work.
Can you advise what the format of the week is?
Schedule is published each year in June. Click this link for a sample schedule: SJP SUMMER SCHOOL SCHEDULE. The Summer school runs 10am-4pm from Tuesday to Saturday afternoon, plus final rehearsal and participant performance Sunday morning & afternoon and a final “Wrap Party” Sunday night. The mornings begin with special workshops, followed by masterclasses. There is an in-house lunch (TUES-FRI ONLY) followed by ensemble sessions until 4pm. Participant ensembles, directed by faculty members, will then perform the material they have rehearsed throughout the week in concert on the Sunday afternoon. There are evening (6pm) jam sessions each day - CHECK SCHEDULE FOR VENUE - and at night after the main festival concerts. Main festival concerts happen at 8pm each night in the Hawk’s Well Theatre unless stated otherwise. Admission to all festival concerts is included in the summer school fees, unless otherwise stated.
How do you decide on levels so as to assign students to combos, etc?
There may be a brief assessment by your tutor on the first morning – but we rely on students to fill in their questionnaires in full on application forms prior to this, and use this info in assembling the basic ensembles.
Are there evening events and jams?
Yes every evening, in various venues – and free festival concerts for all participants. Final programme is published in June, or check website for regular updates. See our programme download page
Approximately how many people will be on the course?
Probably around 150.
Are meals included?
Lunch is included from Tues-Friday at ATU Sligo. Saturday and Sunday participants must fend for themselves as we run lunchtime events away from the school.
Equipment FAQ
What equipment (other than the instrument) should we bring?
If you are a guitarist or bassist living in Ireland, please bring your amp/combo if possible. There will be some amplifiers available, but those travelling from abroad without equipment will be given precedence. Likewise for electronic pianos and drum kits, please bring yours if it is convenient. Double bassists travelling to Ireland, who cannot bring theirs: we will have 2 double basses available for traveling students at the summer school (a small rental charge may
apply)
Will there be amplification there?
As above. There will be a vocal monitor in each room and a limited amount of backline throughout the school.
Is there a music shop close by?
There is a small music shop in the centre of Sligo (2Km from school) but with limited stock of strings etc. Bottom line: Bring everything you need, to be on the safe side!