NZ Youth Jazz Orchestra

The New Zealand Youth Jazz Orchestra will be performing at the Whanganui High School Hall on Tuesday 26 July at 7.00pm.

Local audiences are in for a treat when the New Zealand Youth Jazz orchestra comes to town.

The New Zealand Youth Jazz Orchestra brings together the best young jazz musicians from across New Zealand, aged 19 and 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 an exciting repertoire of jazz standards and big band classics at venues across the lower North Island.

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 for more than a week 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 eleven tertiary jazz students in this years’ orchestra, ten 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 ranging in age from 14 to 17. 

“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. The future of jazz in NZ is in good shape”. 

Whanganui 

Among this year’s band 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 to be selected for the Orchestra when he was just 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 performed regularly in the area and at the Wanganui Jazz Club. 

The New Zealand Youth Jazz Orchestra will be performing at the Whanganui High School Hall on Tuesday 26 July at 7.00pm, doors open at 6.15pm.  
Tickets are available at the door; free for students and $10.00 for adults.