Jemma Freese

Jemma Freese is a full-time musician and composer who plays keyboards/synth/piano and vocals. She is a graduate from Leeds Conservatoire where she studied Pop Composition and Jazz vocals and graduated with First BA Honours and received The Directors Prize.

Jemma plays keyboard and backing vocals for Maximo Park since 2019 and has done several UK and Europe tours with them, along with festivals such as Latitude, Isle of Wight, TRNSMT and Neighbourhood Weekender. She also played on their most recent album Nature Always Wins, which was Number 2 on the UK Album Charts in 2021.

Jemma is in numerous original projects where she plays keyboards and vocals and composes; J Frisco (avant-garde/electronic/punk/experimental/jazz trio) who have been played on BBC Radio 6 and BBC Radio 3 and performed at EFG London Jazz Festival; J2oh (hybrid-jazz duo) who received a placement on the Sage’s Summer Studios scheme in 2022; and her own band under her own name, currently on Jazz North’s northernline scheme. She has been awarded a place on several other schemes; Jazz North Introduces; Brighter Sounds Both Sides Now; Music:Leeds Launchpad; Manchester Jazz Festival Hothouse; Serious Take Five and Arts Council’s DYCP fund.

Jemma teaches keyboards, synth, piano, vocals, music theory, composition in the genres of pop, rock, electronic, experimental, ambient, jazz, blues, classical music – and all their sub-genres and crossover genres. She would teach any genre her students prefer which may not be listed here. She has been playing piano for 18 years and singing for 11 years. She has been teaching privately for 5 years, taught at Leeds Music Academy for 4 years and currently teaches at Make Noise studios/Practise Sheffield and Dronfield Music School. Jemma has done numerous jazz and improvisation workshops with Jazz North and BlueJam Arts in Penrith and delivered multiple masterclasses at Leeds Conservatoire. She also currently work with Sheffield Music School (which focuses on children on school meals or in care) on several of their projects: Tracks (which happens a couple of times a year, helping students to compose their own songs/beats/lyrics as well as contribute to a song which they create together) and a one-to-one mentor.

Jemma’s teaching style centres around what her students need/want, and what would benefit them the most. Whether it’s purely creative, or to achieve grades, or a mixture. She delivers her lessons in whichever learning style caters to their types of personalities. Jemma wants what is best for the student, and can adapt her methods to achieve this. She has taught all ages and all abilities.