It’s time to improvise with confidence
And be your full creative self.
Claim access to our signature improvisation course, where you’ll learn jazz theory and gain experience improvising in a variety of settings (pop, funk, jazz)...so you can take your musicianship beyond classical and start playing off the page.

You tried to improvise before and it sounded.... not great.
You improvised in a few classical pieces here and there, but after years and years of training never really learned how to jam out to a Frank Sinatra tune at your retirement home gig.
You want to play more gigs and not have to spend hours and hours researching “more popular music” to play.
Jazz Theory sounds confusing to you, and you just wanna know what to do with those chord symbols in your music.
I know how you feel!!
Improv was hard for me at first, but got easier over time with guidance and good teachers (i.e. my dad!). I went on to major in both classical and jazz performance in college.
I firmly believe improv made me a better musician.
Some teachers didn’t understand me doing both genres. But it helped me be more creative, work well in duo and chamber group settings, and have more creative projects for myself combining genres
(like my Bridges album, see recording below).

Ana and father Bill Nelson in action!​
Through Virtual Woodwind Academy, I’ve helped
1000+ adults
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learn how to improvise.
Many of whom were starting from scratch.
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Now it’s your turn.
“Holy crap I can’t believe you had me improvising in my first lesson with you….it’s honestly so much fun!! I had no idea what I was missing. I LOVE MUSIC AGAIN I can’t thank you enough ðŸ˜ðŸ’œ”
The Course
Intro to Improv for Classical Musicians
A 6-week, live, playing-focused jazz improvisation course designed for classical musicians who want to break free from the page and start creating their own solos. Each session is interactive and hands-on, held live on Zoom.
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The course begins the week of February 17th! (schedule created after all participants are registered)
What You'll Learn
1. Melodic Shapes & Patterns – Explore improvisation using major scales, rhythmic variations, and drone pitches to build fluency.
2. Common Progressions – Demystify essential harmonic patterns like ii-V-I and I-IV-V, commonly found in jazz, pop, and improvised music.
3. The Blues – Learn the foundations of blues harmony, phrasing, and feel—the heart of jazz improvisation.
4. Chords & Scale Theory – Focus on the essential scales and chord structures you actually need (without getting lost in endless theory).
5. Phrasing & Solo Crafting – Shape your solos with compelling musical sentences, space, and intention. Learn what kind of phrasing structure to use when improvising to be creative and musical.
6. Reading Lead Sheets & Putting It All Together – Learn how to interpret lead sheets, connect your skills, and confidently improvise.

Your investment
Wynton Marsalis
“[Ana Nelson’s] playing showed emotional maturity, technical accuracy, harmonic sophistication, depth of understanding, beauty, range, thematic consistency, and someone whose playing moved us, inspires us, and you've got to have an original sound with a lot of feeling…”
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Do I have time for this?All you need is 10 mins a couple times per week to get the most out of the program! You can even listen to videos for review while cooking dinner, or going on a walk.
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Do I need this if I'm already taking lessons?If you're still feeling stuck on things like intonation, key signatures, counting, and fast technique... this course is perfect for you! Many of our members are also taking private lessons. Think of it this way - if you take this course, you won't have to spend your entire lesson talking about key signatures! You can focus on PLAYING instead.
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How long do I get access to the videos?An entire year!! You will also be invited to all the monthly group lessons during that time.
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What if I can’t make it to the group lessons?We have regular monthly classes for you to ask questions and play for feedback. Everything is recorded for later viewing in case you're not able to attend!