NYMIF: Musical Improv Power Up

NYMIF: Musical Improv Power Up with Jon Bander and Miles Lindahl

Class Description


This workshop is the musical improv equivalent of a Super Mario mushroom. We'll focus on improved scene-song connection, techniques for creating powerful characters, and character wants that make songs that write themselves. By the end of the workshop, you will take your skills to the next level and blow your own mind! But you will still be the same size as you were.

Instructor: Jon Bander

Jon Bander performs every Friday night with Premiere: The Improvised Musical. He also teaches Character 101 at the UCB Theatre and is a former member of UCB team Characters Welcome. Otherwise, he does character bits and standup at various NYC theaters, bars and basements.

Jon was selected to perform in the New Faces: Characters showcase at the Just For Laughs festival in Montreal. He has also worked for The Second City Theatricals aboard the Norwegian Dawn cruise ship. Jon has also performed and taught workshops in festivals and cities internationally. He's been fortunate to study with improv luminaries like TJ Jagodowski, David Pasquesi, Armando Diaz, Mick Napier and Susan Messing to name a few.

Outside of improv, Jon has appeared in bit parts in the Netflix shows Master Of None, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and The Characters. He has performed off-off Broadway in PharmaBro: An American Douchical, 8 Million Protagonists, POPE! An Epic Musical and NY Fringe Festival hit musical Nightfall On Miranga Island.

Most people just call him Bander. Feel free to do the same.

Instructor: Miles Lindahl

An improviser and frequent accompanist for musical improv teams in New York City, Miles Lindahl started playing guitar to impress a girl in 7th grade. When that failed, he picked up piano, bass, and -- much to the disappointment of his mother -- drums.

Over the past few years, he has spent nearly every Tuesday behind a drum kit at Musical Megawatt next to Musical Director Frank Spitznagel, who helped him hone his improvisational piano playing. Miles has since provided accompaniment for PopUp Musicals, Baby Wants Candy, Running Late with Scott Rogowsky, and various Magnet, PIT, and indie teams. He's also a member of Musical Megawatt House Team "Pyros" at the Magnet Theater, where he met his wife.

His mom couldn't be happier.

Full Session Schedule


Session Schedule*

  1. Oct 20, 2018, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
    at The Magnet Training Center
    (22 West 32nd Street, bet. Broadway and 5th Ave., 10th floor)
This class does not have a show/performance