PERFORMERS: New Zealand Youth Jazz Orchestra.
The Whanganui Jazz Club is bringing an exciting concert to High School on Tuesday, July 26 when the New Zealand Youth Jazz Orchestra comes to town.
The orchestra brings together the best young jazz musicians from across New Zealand, all aged 19 or under.
Led by legendary New Zealand jazz musician and
big band leader Rodger Fox and New Zealand School of Music's jazz composer and arranger Dr Dave Lisik, the orchestra will perform jazz standards and big band classics.
The orchestra is joined this year by acclaimed New York saxophonist Dick Oatts, long-time player with the world famous Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and Professor of Music at Temple University. The opportunity for young students to rehearse and perform with overseas artists of this calibre is a unique experience.
The orchestra has been running for more than 30 years, organised by the New Zealand Jazz Foundation. Past band members have forged careers in jazz performance and teaching in New Zealand and overseas.
Of the 11 tertiary jazz students in this year's orchestra, 10 were first selected for the orchestra when they were in high school. This year's orchestra also all includes five first-time high school members aged from 14 to 17.
Among them is 14-year-old trumpeter Henry Sherris, who completed his primary education at St John's Hill School and at Huntley School, Marton, before moving to Wellington. Henry was the youngest student selected when he was 12 and still a student at Huntley. This will be Henry's third year with the NZYJO and he's no stranger to performing in Wanganui, as the Huntley Jazz Band performs regularly in the area and at the Wanganui Jazz Club.
"This year's Orchestra is definitely one to see. The standard of performance and improvisation just gets better each year," says musical director Rodger Fox. "Along with a guest artist of the calibre of Dick Oatts, audiences are guaranteed a great night out."
Doors open at 6.15, with the concert at 7pm. Students are free and adults pay $10. All proceeds go to the orchestra's expenses.
