Fugue Improvisation Course

Self-paced video course to learn fugue improvisation through routine, reflection, and long-term practice.

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Mastery Through Repetition

Improvising a Fugue is one of the most demanding—and rewarding—skills a musician can develop. This course doesn’t promise shortcuts. Instead, it offers a structured, long-term journey through regular exercises and real musical practice.

You go step by step, starting with the simplest ideas. The goal isn’t speed—it’s depth, clarity, and musical confidence.

Fugue Improvisation

Self-paced video course to learn fugue improvisation through routine, reflection, and long-term practice.

399€

ENROLL NOW

deep work. real skills. lasting results.

Trust the Process

Understanding

Discover the core principles of fugue construction and counterpoint. Theory made clear and accessible.

Exploration

Dive into existing short versets, fugettas and fugues. Analyze, imitate, and experiment with structure.

Creation

Take control of your own musical ideas. Improvise fugues from scratch with confidence and style.

course package

What’s Included

Lifetime access to the video course – learn at your own pace, anytime

Over 40 hours of intensive pre-recorded lessons and exercises – master fugue improvisation on different motifs and subjects, valued at 3000€

Direct personal contact with the course instructor (via comments or email)– all course-related questions will be answered three times a week

12 Months of Supportive Community Access – private course participant community, so you always feel inspired, valued at 150€

14-day money-back guarantee — no questions asked

Bonus 1 – lifetime access to a music resources data base (still growing), with links to hundreds of simple preludes and fugues, helping to understand rules of improvisation, valued at 150€

Bonus 2 – collection of versets by Johann Caspar Simon, valued at 50€

try it out

Samples from different lessons

customers stories

Testimonials

“I am a professional pianist, who like many others, was not taught to improvise during my student years. But as I approached middle age, I started to question my work giving piano recitals in a traditional manner. At that point, I started to teach myself to improvise by picking up various learning materials, including those related to harmony, keyboard harmony, basso continuo, jazz texts, and texts for church organists, alongside taking occasional lessons from professional improvisors. Due to a lack of understanding and consistent guidance, I didn’t feel I was making tangible progress.

However, since I discovered Szymon’s online tutorials, I have formed a daily practice routine using Szymon vast course materials. Furthermore, I must stress the uniqueness of this course lies in Szymon’s dedication to students’ personal musical growth. His support via comments or email is also of great value.
It seems like I am noticing more and more areas that could be utilized in both my performances and pedagogical activities, aided by studying improvisation on a daily basis.”

Tomomi Ohrui Tanaka
http://littleclassic.jpn.org

“My goal in music is to become a composer of tonal classical music. It is my opinion that the ability to improvise is a very important skill for composers. Improvising is needed to sketch out a piece and to solve problems in a more fluent, efficient, and musical manner. After this, arranging and orchestration techniques can be used to fill out and expand the number of voices depending on the medium you write for.
This course on improvising a fugue specifically is very practical. It has helped me to transform my theoretical understanding to the skill of actually playing/writing a fugue. And that is what it is all about. Although polyphonic pieces became less popular in the Classical and Romantic period, it was still used in development sections to create beautiful variation and contrast. This course is ideal for people who have a basic understanding of Harmony and Counterpoint, but still struggle with writing a fugue. “

Jeroen Nieuwkerk

“I wish I could do that,” I thought, as someone improvised a fugue on the church organ. I came across Szymon Jakubowski online and signed up for his fugue course. I like his practical method of guiding us towards our own improvisation attempts. His fugue improvisations inspire me and make me want to try it myself on my instrument. After a few weeks I’m improvising my first fugues and am amazed at my own progress. This wouldn’t have been possible with sheet music exercises alone. I’m very happy.

Bernie

Fugue Improvisation Course Plan

1.1 Welcome to Fugue Improvisation Course
1.2 Basics Concepts and Terms
What is a fugue?
Counterpoint
Elements of a fugue: exposition, middle entries, episodes, stretto, augmentation
Types of fugues in this course: Verset, Fugetta, Partimento Fugue
Improvised vs. composed fugue
Goal and Plan of Fugue Improvisation
Voice Part Names and Markings

2.1 Imitation
Imitation in the Octave
Transposition Steps
2.2 Subject
Imitation in Octave and Fifth
2.3 Answer
Real and Tonal Answer
2.4 Counterpoint for Subject
Harmonization in Soprano and Bass
Clausulas
Using Clausulas in Counterpoint
3.1 Exposition
Subject without and with Modulation
2- and 3-part Exposition
Transposition Exercises
Voice Order: MUL, UML, LMU

4.01 Intro
4.02 3rds and 6ths Motion
Proportion 1:1, 1:2, 1:4
Parallel and Contrary Motion
4.03 Alteration of 3rds and 6ths
4.04 Passing notes and intervals
4.05 Hearing and Feeling Harmony in Two-Part Counterpoint
4.06 Pedal Point in 3-part Improvisation
4.07 Examples from Repertoire
Johann Caspar Simon- Versets in D, in Am and in Bb
4.08 Using different models and schemata
Counterpoint and Harmonic Way – 2, 3, 4-part
4.09 Cadence and 1- 5- Movement
4.10 Rule of the Octave
4.11 Modulations
Parallel Key
Fifth Up or Fifth Down
Transformation of the tonic into the subdominant or dominant
4.12 Suspensions
Descending 2-3 and 7-6
Ascending 5-6
4.13 Example from Repertoire
Johann Pachelbel- Fugue

5.1 How to plan structure of a fugue improvisation
Overall structure – alternating subject entries and interludes (episodes)
Transposition Keys
6.1 Deconstruction – analyzing existing fugues, transposition exercises
6.2 Partimento approach – working from a pre-planned structure
6.3 Construction – improvising from the subject alone, preparing with a workplan

Practicing Motive-Imitations taken from different Versets

Practicing fugue improvisation based on subjects starting on 1st step, e.g.

Practicing fugue improvisation based on subjects starting on 5th step, e.g.

Practicing fugue improvisation with subjects based on 1426 and 1536 model, e.g.

Practicing fugue improvisation based on subjects starting on 3rd step, e.g.

Practicing fugue improvisation with chromatic subjects, e.g.

Is This for Me?

Check if this course suits you

Does this sound familiar?

You’ve always wanted to..

Not only play polyphonic music, but also improvise it freely and confidently.

Go beyond standard training and reach a higher level of musical expression.

Truly understand and apply 18th century harmony and counterpoint.

Now Imagine If You Could

See a musical theme and spontaneously improvise a light two- or three-voice fugue on it.

Combine harmony and counterpoint fluently, understanding how they interact to form polyphonic textures.

Improvise short fugues on the spot — little polyphonic improvisations for your own joy — and genuinely enjoy the process.

This Is NOT for You If

You have no background in music theory, harmony, or have never studied or played Baroque music (see course levels description)

You’ve never played a fugue — whether on the organ, piano, or another keyboard instrument.

You’re looking for shortcuts or expect quick results after just a few lessons or days.

You’ve never improvised in classical styles before, or you’re not ready to invest time and patience in a deep learning process.

Self-paced video course to learn fugue improvisation through routine, reflection, and long-term practice.

Enroll Now

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. To feel comfortable in the course, you need to have a solid understanding of music theory and experience playing the piano or organ, particularly in the Baroque style.

The idea of the course is based on frequent repetition of all exercises so that they become routine. The entire course is designed to last about six months. Of course, it can be completed faster or slower. The most important thing is that the lessons are absorbed and thoroughly understood.

There’s a 14-day money-back guarantee — no questions asked.

Fugue Improvisation

Self-paced video course to learn fugue improvisation through routine, reflection, and long-term practice.

399€

ENROLL NOW