Program announced for 2025!
It’s an exciting new chapter in WAYJO’s story, as we launch the 2025 season under the leadership of our new Artistic Director, saxophonist, composer, and educator Gemma Farrell.
This season, we’re putting the spotlight on local guest artists, showcasing some of the most incredible talent right here in WA. Throughout the year, our Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday Night Orchestras will collaborate with an incredible lineup of special guests, perform in a variety of venues, and tour both locally and internationally.
One of the highlights will be our Wednesday Night Orchestra show at the newly restored Como Theatre, featuring violinist Emily Gelineau. This concert is extra special as it celebrates the reopening of the historic Como Theatre, which dates back to the 1930s and has been closed for renovation since 2021. It’s a stunning venue, and we can’t wait to fill it with music.
At The Rechabite, audiences can look forward to two concerts: the return of Havana Nights! – a popular Latin Showcase with powerhouse percussionists Steve Richter and Marcus Perrozzi alongside vocalist Adolfo Chavez, and our annual Vocal Showcase featuring Victoria Newton and all three of WAYJO’s talented vocalists.
Over at The Ellington Jazz Club, the Monday Night Orchestra will share the stage with guitarist Ray Walker, one of last year’s recipients of the WA State Cultural Treasures Award. Ray is a legend in the WA jazz scene, and we’re honoured to have him perform with us.
Beyond these performances, some of our musicians will be heading out on the road. A group of WAYJO band members will be travelling to Narrogin Senior High School to run workshops with students, alongside Noongar/Jingili rapper ZERO Emcee. And in October, six of our band members will be traveling to Tokyo for an exciting exchange program with Showa University. Together with six Showa University students, they’ll form a combined band called SHOWAYJO, co-directed by Gemma Farrell and Showa’s Masa Ikeda. It’s a truly special experience, and we can’t wait to see this cross-cultural collaboration come to life.
Education is at the heart of what we do. In Term 3, we continue our award-nominated Progressions program for young musicians of marginalised genders, ending with a showcase performance at The Ellington. Our Northern Corridor Training Band returns to The Ellington in June, and both programs will feature in our Pathways Jam at Lyric Lane Courtyard in September—a chance for these young musicians to jam and connect with each other.
WAYJO is a not-for-profit organisation, and we rely on the generosity of our community to keep our programs running. If you’d like to support our ongoing work, consider joining the 240 Club by donating $20 per month or $240 annually. Your support helps us run our concerts, education programs, and community initiatives.
Looking ahead, Gemma Farrell shares her vision: “Jazz, for me, is about inclusion, diversity, and accessibility. My vision is to increase diversity within our bands and create more initiatives that make jazz accessible to marginalised communities. Programs like Progressions are already making an impact, and I’m excited to grow that work further. I believe jazz should be for everyone, and I’m committed to building more opportunities, more access, and a more inclusive jazz community.”
Thanks for your continued support, and we can’t wait to share this incredible season with you.
FOR TICKETS AND MORE INFO, CLICK HERE
Gemma Farrell Appointed Artistic Director of WAYJO
We are delighted to announce the appointment of jazz saxophonist, composer, educator, Gemma Farrell as Artistic Director. Gemma holds a Master of Music degree from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, a Bachelor of Music with Honours from the Queensland Conservatorium and is currently a PhD candidate and lecturer in jazz studies at WAAPA. Gemma was a member of the WAYJO Band from 2003 to 2007 and has been a staff member for more than a decade, leading the WAYJO Pathways Program, Progressions, (formerly known as Young Women in Jazz) since 2014.
Progressions is an initiative encouraging young people of marginalised genders, female, non-binary and transgender who are underrepresented on jazz stages build support networks, refine their skills, and increase confidence. The program was nominated for the APRA AMCOS Art Music Award for Excellence in Music Education in both 2023 and 2024. Her contributions to the field were recognised when she received the APRA AMCOS Art Music Award for WA State Luminary in 2024 and the Australian Women in Music Award for Humanitarian 2024.
In July 2022, Gemma was featured as a guest artist with our Monday Night Orchestra, where she highlighted the versatility of the saxophone family, the EWI, and her original compositions. In 2024, she conducted the Wednesday Night Orchestra at the State Theatre Centre, collaborating with Grammy-winning bassist Linda May Han Oh.
WAYJO Chair Simon Durack said, “On behalf of my fellow Board members, we are delighted to welcome Gemma Farrell to the position of Artistic Director for WAYJO and look forward to her ongoing input into the future artistic direction of WAYJO.”
Gemma said, “I’m extremely honoured to have been appointed as the next Artistic Director of WAYJO. I never imagined that as a young musician in WAYJO that I would be the AD one day. I look forward to working with the dedicated WAYJO staff and Board towards a more diverse Perth Jazz scene and I’m especially excited to work with such incredible up and coming talent in our WAYJO musicians”.
2024 Composers in Residence
We are excited to announce our 2024 Composers in Residence, spotlighting three dynamic and innovative young musicians who are set to make their mark on the jazz scene. Each year, WAYJO offers promising jazz composers the rare opportunity to develop new works for a large ensemble, providing them with both artistic mentorship and generous commission fees.
So, without further ado, this year’s selected composers are Jackson Mack [SA], Frederick Johnston-Horstman [WA], and Aaron Caldwell [WA].
Under the guidance of WAYJO’s Artistic Director, Dr. Mace Francis, these composers will have the freedom to explore creative boundaries and contribute fresh, forward-thinking music to the big band repertoire.
Meet the Composers
JACKSON MACK
Adelaide-based drummer, composer and arranger, Jackson Mack is our 2024 National Composer in Residence. Known for his versatility, Jackson has performed with acclaimed artists such as Jazzmeia Horn and Barney McAll. As the leader of the Jackson Mack Big Band, his compositions are influenced by jazz legends like Thad Jones and Bill Holman.
Jackson shares, “I’m very thrilled and grateful to be selected as the National Composer in Residence! I am excited to collaborate with Mace and the band to create something special. The creative freedom will allow me to compose according to my artistic vision. Working alongside a highly skilled band is exciting, and the prospect of networking and meeting new individuals is another thing I am looking forward to.”
FREDERICK JOHNSTON-HORSTMAN
Boorloo-based trombonist, vocalist, and composer Frederick Johnston-Horstman brings a unique perspective as an openly genderqueer musician. His compositions celebrate diversity and collaboration, with a focus on accessibility in both complexity and instrumentation. In 2024 he launched Ensemble Neoteric – an ensemble for gender diverse artists aiming to develop a community supported in creativity and exploration.
Fred, who played with WAYJO for five years between 2018 to 2023, is eager to return as a composer: “Having played with the band for so many years, I’m excited to be coming back as a composer. The band has such a diverse set of voices so I’m especially looking forward to writing for the individual players, as well as the ensemble as a whole. I’m also interested to see how the language I’ve developed in art music can be translated to a more traditional band setup.”
AARON CALDWELL
Aaron Caldwell, a saxophonist, composer, and current member of WAYJO’s Wednesday Night Orchestra, rounds out the 2024 Composers in Residence. Known for his improvisational prowess and deep understanding of jazz tradition, Aaron is excited to take on the challenge of writing for a big band for the first time.
“It’s a real creative and intellectual challenge for me. It’s also great to be able to have a talented band available to hear and experience what you’ve created with people you know,” says Aaron.
Since its inception in 2008, the WAYJO Composer in Residence program has supported the development of new works by some of Australia’s most promising composers. The 2024 cohort continues this tradition, pushing the boundaries of jazz composition and bringing fresh, innovative sounds to the big band stage.
Stay tuned for the premiere performances of these new works.
To learn more about the program, click here.
WAYJO extends its gratitude to our core funding bodies including Department of Local Government, Sport, and Cultural Industries, Wright Burt Foundation, Bendat Family Foundation and the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation for their continued support.
Pathways Program nominated for 2024 Art Music Award
We are thrilled to announce that our Pathways Program has been nominated for the national 2024 Art Music Awards for Excellence in Music Education for the second year in a row!
Founded in 2014 in Perth, WAYJO’s Pathways Program includes both Progressions and the Northern Corridor Band (WAYJO NC).
Progressions (formerly known as Young Women in Jazz) is designed for female and non-binary instrumentalists who want to dive deeper into jazz and improvised music.
Participants get the chance to perform live at a professional jazz club and work with some of Australia’s top jazz professionals. The workshops, held at WAAPA, feature guest artists, alumnae tutors, and culminate in live performances.
The upcoming program runs on Saturdays from 2-4 pm, from 27 July to 14 September, with renowned trumpeter Chloe Rowlands (USA) as one of the guest artists. Registrations close on 24 July.
Our dedicated team, led by Gemma Farrell, includes Mace Francis, Monique Douglas, Emily Stokoe, and Lucy Iffla, all of whom contribute to making this program a success.
WAYJO NC, founded by Adrian Hicks and currently run by Jessica Herbert and Andrea Stimson, helps young musicians develop their skills in big band jazz. Rehearsals, held in a big band format, focus on jazz phrasing, articulation, artistic expression, improvisation, and playing various musical genres including jazz, funk, and Latin.
In addition to regular rehearsals, participants benefit from masterclasses, performance opportunities, collaborations, and mentoring from both Australian and international guest artists, WAAPA staff, and experienced WAYJO alumni.
We extend our congratulations to our fellow finalists for Excellence in Music Education:
• The Song Room for building thriving communities for children by championing Australian music in remote NT
• The Sonicrats (Alon Ilsar, Ciaran Frame, and Erick Mitsak) for You’re an Instrument! 2023 Victorian Schools Program
• Speak Percussion for Sounds Unheard 2023 Program
A special shout-out to WAYJO alum Linda May Han Oh, nominated for Work of the Year: Jazz for Ephemeral Echoes.
The APRA AMCOS and Australian Music Centre’s Art Music Awards is an annual celebration of the national art music community, recognising excellence among creators, performers, and community leaders in contemporary classical, jazz, experimental music, and sound art. The Awards ceremony will be held on Wednesday, 14 August at Malthouse Theatre in Melbourne/Naarm.
Being nominated again is a tremendous honour, and we look forward to sharing all the exciting developments in the Pathways Program this year.
WNO members embark on cultural exchange to Japan
Six members of the Wednesday Night Orchestra as well as General Manager Monique Douglas and Artistic Director Mace Francis are heading to Shin-Yurigaoka just outside of central Tokyo for rehearsals, performances, and cultural activities, as part of an on-going exchange between WAYJO and Showa University of Music in Japan.
The musicians heading on this week-long exchange are Ben Shelley (drums), Bob Tweedie (piano), Holly Forster (alto sax), Matt Knight (trumpet), Naoko Uemoto (baritone sax) and Taj Johnstone (trombone).
Directed by Masa Ikeda and Mace Francis, SHOWAYJO – as its affectionately known, was last together in November when six musicians from Showa came to Perth and performed at the Perth International Jazz Festival’s Jazz Picnic in the Park and recorded at Loop Studio. Listen to the release HERE.
The Showa University of Music, the Showa Graduate School of Music and the Showa College of Music are part of the Tosei Gakuen Educational Foundation, which is renowned for its forward-thinking in music education in the areas of traditional western classical music, musical theatre, ballet, and jazz and popular music.
This exchange is made possible through our Principal Partner, North West Shelf Gas.
2023 Composers-in-Residence
The WA Youth Jazz Orchestra is delighted to announce the selection of Composers-in-Residence for this year. As part of our commitment to supporting young jazz composers, we are offering these talented individuals the opportunity to develop new works, enhance their writing skills, and explore the art of conducting.
Under the guidance of WAYJO’s Artistic Director, Mace Francis, our Composer-in-Residence program has become a hallmark of excellence in the industry since its launch in 2008. We encourage the composers to consider innovative approaches to utilising the big band instrumentation of the WAYJO Wednesday Night Orchestra and contribute to the vibrant jazz landscape in WA.
Read about the selected composers below, learn more about our Composer-in-Residence program, and stay tuned for updates on their exciting compositions and upcoming performances!
Oliver Taylor
Oliver a saxophonist, composer and music teacher based in Perth, Western Australia. He’s been playing the saxophone for nearly a decade, as well as picking up the clarinet and flute along the way. He has a deep passion for music and musical education.
Oliver completed an honours degree from the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts in 2021 and was awarded a $1200 prize for presenting the best honours recital in his graduating year.
Oliver is currently a member of WAYJO’s Wednesday night band and has a been a member since 2020. Oliver performs regularly around Perth, typically as a sideman playing jazz, swing, funk, blues, pop, and contemporary music.
Max Grynchuk 
Max is a Ukrainian-born trumpeter, composer, and arranger based in Adelaide, Australia. He completed his Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours specialising in Jazz Performance at the Elder Conservatorium of Music, Adelaide in 2018. During his time at university, Max was the recipient of several awards including the Howell Ross Award for Top Trumpet Undergraduate (2017), and the Keith & Susie Langley Memorial Award for Best Overall Honours Graduate (2019). He was also the recipient of the Mike Stewart Award (2019) presented by the Helpmann Academy and JazzSA, which was valued at $10,000 and required a grant proposal.
Max began writing for big band at age 14. At 16 he was commissioned to write for the JazzSA Superbands, contributing eight original works between 2012-2015. In 2018, Max was selected as the programs inaugural Composer-In-Residence, writing a further eight pieces that year alone. In 2019, Max returned to the program as a band director.
Max has recorded three albums as leader of his own big band. The band’s debut album ‘As For Now’ (2021) consisted of nine of Max’s originals compositions and featured special guest appearances from saxophonist Will Vinson and guitarist James Muller. The band’s second album, ‘Max Grynchuk Big Band Plays Eraser Description’ (2021), featured five of Max’s arrangements of the music of synth-funk trio Eraser Description. A follow up album, ‘Max Grynchuk Big Band Plays Eraser Description Vol. II’ was released in August 2022 featuring six new arrangements. Two of Max’s works were also featured on the Mike Stewart Big Band’s 2021 album ‘The Hang’.
Over 40 of Max’s big band compositions and arrangements are available for purchase through his website. He has sold works to high school and tertiary institutions around the world, including in the US, UK, Japan, France, and Luxembourg. Locally, Max’s pieces have been regularly performed by high school bands at festivals such as Generations in Jazz, and he has also written several big band division set pieces for the ABODA Band & Orchestra Festival.
Since 2016, Max has been the arranger for the annual Carols in the Park event hosted by the Tea Tree Gully council, the most recent of which attracted a crowd of 45,000. He has also been the primary arranger for the Royal Australian Navy Band SA since 2013, in which time he has contributed over 70 specialised arrangements for a variety of ensembles including big band, rock band and parade band.
Since 2015, Max has performed as a member of the Hilltop Hoods horn section. He has played at festivals such as Falls Festival, Splendour in the Grass, Groovin’ the Moo, as well as the Australian leg of their world tour, and as a support act for Eminem’s tour of Australia and New Zealand.
Max is currently the Bands Coordinator at St. Peter’s College SA.
Jessica Carlton
Jessica is a trumpet player and composer originally from Melbourne, Australia; now living in Perth.
Jessica graduated high school from the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School and graduated with a Bachelor of Music Performance (Jazz Trumpet) from Monash University (2015) where she was awarded the Monash Jazz Prize (2014). Later in 2014, she released her first album ‘Not Alone’ and with this was nominated for the Bell Awards’ Young Australian Jazz Artist of the Year. After living in New York for two years, Jessica moved back to Australia and moved to Perth for the first time in 2018. In 2021 she was nominated for the Music Trust’s Freedman Jazz Fellowship where she submitted a proposal about composing music about the feminist movement in China. Jessica recorded some of that music on a collaborative quartet album (with Kate Pass, Talya Valenti, and Alana Macpherson) entitled ‘Undeniable’ (released 2022). In 2022, Jessica was also nominated for WAM’s Best Brass Instrumentalist.
Jessica received the higher degree by research scholarship at WAAPA and is currently undertaking a research project about musical ekphrasis (transforming visual art and poetry into music composition and improvisation).
Jessica has been teaching trumpet for the past ten years and is very passionate about good quality, empathetic, and equitable education for young students. As an autistic woman of colour, Jessica is also deeply passionate about gender and racial equality, as well as disability inclusion and awareness, particularly in education and music performance.
2023 WAYJO Band Auditions Open
2023 WAYJO Band Audition registrations open Monday 19 September for people wishing to participate in the WA Youth Jazz Orchestra (WAYJO) in the coming year. Musicians interested in learning jazz performance and improvised big band music, aged 14-25 and able to rehearse in Perth during 2023, are encouraged to apply.
Positions in each of the three big bands are auditioned every year, offering the opportunity to perform at some of Perth’s best venues, work with top band leaders and touring guest artists, plus travel regionally, nationally and internationally. WAYJO also annually commissions original big band works, trains band leaders, and runs pathway educational programs.
A total of fifty-four places are available within three big bands – the MinterEllison Monday, St John of God Health Care Tuesday, and WAYJO Wednesday Night Orchestras. All three 18-piece bands each audition for Saxophones (2x Alto, 2x Tenor & 1x Baritone), 4x Trumpets, Trombones (3x Tenor & 1x Bass), 1x Guitar, 1x Bass, 1x Piano, 1x Drum Kit, plus 1x Vocalist.
Running the first two weekends in December, auditions are allocated on a first come first served basis. Aspiring band members are encouraged to register early, as places sold out in previous years.
Auditions and band rehearsals are held at WAYJO’s rehearsal studio in the historic Maylands Hall, located corner Eighth Avenue and Guildford Road. Musicians who cannot attend the December dates can apply through video audition.
At the forefront of forging professional, contemporary big band, ensemble and solo jazz artists since 1983, WAYJO’s impressive alumni includes international jazz luminaries Linda May Han Oh, Dane Alderson, Troy Roberts and Mat Jodrell.
WAYJO celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2023 by continuing to build the future of Australian jazz through outstanding emerging jazz performer, composer and band leader opportunities.
Registrations for 2023 WAYJO Band Auditions close 5.00pm, Friday 18 November only if not filled prior. Visit wayjo.com/audition for all requirements and registration link, but don’t delay if you want to come and play!
WAYJO NC Celebrates First Birthday with Two Great Concerts
Happy 1st Birthday WAYJO NC!
The WAYJO NC, training band for the Northern Corridor, started midway through 2021. Despite being amid a pandemic, enthusiasm for this new band was high.
WAYJO NC Program Coordinator Adrian Hicks wanted to give an opportunity to students in the Northern Suburbs of Perth to learn and explore playing Big Band Jazz. “Many schools, struggle to provide these types of opportunities to their students as they simply don’t have the numbers” says Adrian.
Enter WAYJO, Minderoo Foundation, and the start of a wonderful collaboration.
A year on and the band has now developed into a full-size big band with skills to participate in its first WA Schools Jazz Band Festival this month. To give the best opportunity for the students to learn it was suggested to share MD duties term-by-term and so far the members have had with other WAYJO Alumni Alex Parkinson and Jess Herbert, both of which have used their expertise to improve the musical outcomes of the ensemble.
The band has also had some special workshops such as when WAYJO TNO, directed by Marty Pervan, joined a rehearsal to give the students an experience they would never forget – two big bands in one room! Recently, John Morrison also provided the players with his many years of experience too.
Band Members have really grown and developed their ensemble and sight-reading skills and over the past year. Some had never improvised, read jazz music, or played together in this style of band before – and now, not only has their confidence grown they have started to make lifelong friendships.
It is a real treat to see this develop before our eyes. All in all, a jam-packed inaugural year for Perth’s newest young Big Band.
Catch the WAYJO NC upcoming performance in August and September;
2022 WA Schools Jazz Festival
Sunday 14 August
WA Academy of Performing Arts (ECU) – Edith Spiegeltent
Tickets only at the venue
The Trombone: Big Band Backbone – Act Belong Commit Concert
Friday 16 September
Prendiville Catholic College – Redmond Theatre
Tickets through WAYJO
You can find out more and get involved at wayjo.com/education/wayjonc – plus check out our other Act Belong Commit concerts wayjo.com/education/concert-for-schools
WAYJO NC is part of WAYJO’s Pathways Education Program, supported by Healthway promoting the Act Belong Commit message, and our Major Partner Minderoo Foundation
WAYJO 2022 Brubeck Jazz Summit Scholarship
The WA Youth Jazz Orchestra (WAYJO) are proud to announce Wednesday Night Orchestra members Cass Evans-Ocharern (bass) and Bob Tweedie (keyboard) were selected as this year’s recipients of the 2022 Brubeck Jazz Summit Scholarship. Joined by musical chaperone and WAYJO board member Kate Pass, they travelled to Sierra Nevada University, North Lake Tahoe July 10 to 16 for the annual United States jazz performance intensive.
“We had an amazing week at the Brubeck Jazz Summit in beautiful Lake Tahoe. It was an invaluable experience getting to hang out with and learn from some of the best jazz musicians in the world right now” comments Kate. “It was wonderful to see Cass and Bob thrive within the cohort, bringing a mature musical outlook, ensemble skills and etiquette, and of course a sense of humour!”
Cass says “The Brubeck Jazz Summit was an absolutely incredible experience. It was surreal to fly across the world because of Jazz. We had the amazing opportunity to work under some of the best Jazz musicians in the world, such as Chad LB, Connie Han, Rodney Whitaker, Sean Jones, Gilad Hekselman, and Eric Harland. We were able to work with each faculty member in ensembles, learn from their Masterclasses and also watched them perform with Dave Brubeck's son's, Chris and Dan Brubeck.”
“We also had the absolute pleasure of meeting other like-minded, young Jazz musicians from not only all over America, but also the UK! It was so lovely to make new friends from such different backgrounds and I am looking forward to seeing where each student goes in their career.”
"I am so fortunate to have had such an incredible opportunity because of WAYJO and Classical Tahoe. It was an absolutely amazing learning experience and I am so thankful to have gone.”
Brubeck Jazz Summit is a one-week intensive jazz performance training program offered to thirty selected students from throughout the world. It offers the unparalleled opportunity to workshop with Brubeck Institute faculty, guest artists and master teachers as the living legacy of the musician and international statesman, Dave Brubeck.
The Brubeck Jazz Summit accepts annual online applications from highly motivated students. More information about the program is online at davebrubeck.com/brubeck-living-legacy
Hashtags: #WAYJO2022 #BrubeckJazzSummit
Contact:
Justine Thornley WAYJO Marketing
marketing@wayjo.com
+61 8 9471 1950
2022 WAYJO Pathways Education Semester Two
WAYJO’s Act Belong Commit Pathways Program offers a chance to explore jazz music, or learn more about auditioning for the band. There are two audition-free, inclusive workshops available in semester two for aspiring young musicians are now open for registrations;
- WAYJO Northern Corridor (NC) is a training orchestra for high school students wishing to extend themselves through learning how to read and play various styles of music. It is held Tuesday evenings at St Stephens in Duncraig with a performance in their theatre in September.
Semester 2 registrations open 9.00am Monday 27th June, and close Thursday 21st July, 2022.
- WAYJO Club is an exciting opportunity for aspiring instrumentalists and vocalists, aged 12-18 years, to learn about and participate in jazz music making with WAYJO in a social and inclusive setting. WAYJO Club is open to all young musicians with a basic understanding of music.
Semester 2 registrations open Tuesday 28th June, and close 5.00pm Tuesday 26th July, 2022.
Head to wayjo.com/education for more information and registration details.
WAYJO’s Pathways Education Program is supported by Healthway promoting the Act Belong Commit message, and our Major Partner Minderoo Foundation.
Photograph by Adrian Hicks.