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”.
A jazzy night under the stars to wrap up 2024
It’s that time of year again! Celebrate the culmination of an incredible year with our Best of 2024 concert at the stunning Quarry Amphitheatre on Saturday, 23 November from 6:30pm.
Featuring all three of our core orchestras – this unmissable event highlights the energy, passion, and skill of our young musicians as they showcase their favourite pieces of the year.
The Monday Night Orchestra will captivate with music from standout collaborations, including Mariel Bildsten, Sarah McKenzie, and Zero Emcee. Expect swinging big band tunes, jazz ballads, and a jazz-hip-hop fusion with the tune, Na Na Na (Zero Emcee), as well as classics like Evil Man (Thad Jones), and Paris in the Rain (Sarah McKenzie).
Our St John of God Health Care Tuesday Night Orchestra promises a dynamic and eclectic mix, from fiery “burner” Magic Flea to the lush Just Friends and Brazilian-inspired Yatra-Ta featuring Sofie Kerr. The set also includes Nutville (Buddy Rich) and I Love Paris (Stan Kenton).
And the Wednesday Night Orchestra will showcase stunning original works by our composers-in-residence (Infinity by Aaron Caldwell and Weird Cat by Jackson Mack) alongside gems like Woman’s Got Soul (Thad Jones), Kind Folk (Kenny Wheeler), and Photographs (Ed Partyka).
Bring a picnic, pre-order a hamper, or enjoy the Limestone Cafe menu while soaking in the vibrant sounds of big band jazz under the stars.
Date: Saturday, 23 November
Gates open: 6:30pm | Concert: 7:30pm – 10pm
Venue: Quarry Amphitheatre, City Beach
Get ready for a special night of extraordinary music that has become a much-loved local tradition. Book your tickets now!
WAYJO at Perth International Jazz Festival 2024
The Perth International Jazz Festival (PIJF) is back for another year, bringing a diverse lineup of local and international talent to the city from Saturday, 5 October to Sunday, 3 November. WAYJO is proud to be a part of this celebrated event, showcasing two exciting performances that highlight the talents of our musicians alongside renowned international artists.
Sara McDonald – NYChillharmonic (USA)
One of the standout performances this year will see members from WAYJO’s Wednesday Night Orchestra (WNO) join forces with bandleader and vocalist Sara McDonald (USA) for her dynamic ensemble, NYChillharmonic on Saturday 2 November at The Rechabite – Main Hall. Known for their genre-defying sound, NYChillharmonic seamlessly blends rock, pop, classical, and jazz, creating a unique sonic experience that embraces unconventional textures, arrangements, and harmonies. The result is an ensemble unlike anything you’ve ever heard before.
Sara McDonald will lead the ensemble, joined by core NYChillharmonic members including guitarist Shubh Saran, pianist Liya Grigoryan, bassist Almog Sharvit, and drummer Angelo Spampinato. Perth-based musicians from WNO will round out the rest of this extraordinary ensemble, making this collaboration one of the must-see performances of the festival.
Mariel Bildsten (USA) with WAYJO’s Monday Night Orchestra
Our Monday Night Orchestra (MNO) will also be part of the much-loved, Jazz Picnic in Hyde Park, a free annual event that’s perfect for families and jazz lovers alike. This year, MNO will be joined by special guest artist Mariel Bildsten (USA), an acclaimed jazz trombonist. This event is happening on Saturday 2 November from 12pm, with Mariel Bildsten and MNO hitting the stage at 3:30pm, embracing the sounds of jazz greats including Count Basie and Duke Ellington.
For more information about the festival and ticket bookings, visit the official Perth International Jazz Festival website HERE.
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.
From Perth to Tokyo: WNO’s unforgettable journey
In June, WAYJO musicians Holly Forster, Taj Johnstone, Matt Knight, Ben Shelley, Bob Tweedie, and Naoko Uemoto, along with Artistic Director Dr. Mace Francis and General Manager Monique Douglas, travelled to Tokyo for an international cultural exchange with Showa University of Japan, supported by North West Shelf Gas.
Our talented musicians rehearsed with their Japanese counterparts, culminating in a final performance at North West Shelf Gas’s 35th Anniversary celebration, held at the prestigious Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
The exchange was a resounding success, both artistically and in fostering lifelong friendships through a variety of cultural events. Highlights included a visit to the Great Buddha of Kamakura (鎌倉大仏, Kamakura Daibutsu), a magnificent bronze statue of Amida Buddha located on the grounds of Kōtoku-in Temple.
Our musicians represented WAYJO and Australia with exceptional diplomacy and pride, making us incredibly proud.
Taj Johnstone shared his experience, stating, “This tour was not just a professional engagement but a life-changing experience that left an indelible mark on me. One of the highlights was meeting the world-famous trumpeter, Eric Miyashiro. His virtuosity and passion for music were both inspiring and humbling. Equally enriching was the time spent with my fellow WAYJO members—six band members and two staff—whose camaraderie and shared dedication to jazz deepened our bond. We also connected with the talented musicians and students at Showa University, creating friendships that transcended language and cultural barriers.
“Furthermore, the support and interaction with the North West Shelf Gas staff who accompanied us were invaluable, providing insights into both their professional endeavours and personal stories. This tour was a profound learning experience, blending rigorous musical training with rich cultural exchange. It broadened my musical horizons and cultivated a deeper appreciation for the universal language of music. The warmth and hospitality of our Japanese hosts, the beauty of Tokyo, and the unforgettable performances and workshops we participated in made this journey truly unforgettable. I will always cherish the memories and lessons from this extraordinary adventure.”
This exchange was made possible through the generous support of North West Shelf Gas, and we are deeply grateful to them for facilitating cultural exchanges like this.
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.
Linda May Han Oh: Special guest artist
This week is a huge one for WAYJO as acclaimed bassist and composer Linda May Han Oh arrives from the USA to perform with our Wednesday Night Orchestra on Saturday night at the State Theatre Centre of WA.
Renowned globally for her exceptional talent, versatility and dedication to music education, Linda’s beginnings were as a WAYJO orchestra member in the years 2000 to 2005 (approximately), performing first on bassoon and then reverting to upright bass. She is now one of the most in-demand international musicians of our time, achieving the extraordinary, including winning a Grammy for her bass performance on Terri Lyne Carrington’s New Standards Vol. 1, as well as being animated as bassist ‘Miho’ in the Pixar film ‘Soul’.
Linda will be performing eight of her own compositions with our Wednesday Night Orchestra (WNO) under the joint musical direction of Gemma Farrell and Bayden Adams, and in the lead up, Gemma gives us some insight on what will be happening behind-the-scenes.
Tell us what goes into prepping the orchestra for a performance like this with a guest artist.
Gemma Farrell: WNO is the most senior of the three WAYJO bands. Most of them are at the early stages of their professional careers, so they understand that a gig with music as complex as this requires a lot of practice and focus, and thinking about your role within your section, acting as a team rather than 18 individuals. They all greatly admire Linda, and some aim to have the kind of career she has had, so they are all looking forward to playing. The music is extremely difficult, so we have been doing a lot of extra rehearsals as a band, and they have no doubt been practising harder individually.
WNO will be playing some tracks off Linda May Han Oh’s latest album ’The Glass Hours’ – which is performed as a quartet. How do the pieces develop and how different are they in a big band format?
A lot of the music has been arranged for big band either by Linda herself or Jim McNeely (USA), who is a huge name in big band jazz. Obviously when you change an arrangement from small group to big band, there are a lot of different musicians you have to find parts for, but they all have to sound like they’re adding to the music. These arrangements have been masterfully put together, and the rich, large ensemble sound really compliments these compositions.
Linda May Han Oh is highly acclaimed worldwide. Tell us what’s interesting about her compositions and the challenges/complexities they entail for other musicians playing her works.
Masterful composers like Linda often write complex time signatures in a way that makes them sound seamless. I remember hearing that the great Maria Schneider sings her melodies and records them before working out the time signatures. Linda has a way of coming up with a beautiful melody, and it’s only when you analyse it and put it on paper that you realise how complex it is. Counting is one of the significant challenges in this gig, and some very technically challenging lines sound beautiful when they are together, but they take a lot of fine motor work on the instruments.
Which composition out of the set list is your favourite and why?
‘The Sirens Are Wailing’. I have performed this composition with the Artemis Orchestra for a few years now so I’m looking forward to performing it with Linda for the first time. The fact that I’ve been performing the chart for a while now means that I am more comfortable with it and can enjoy it more.
How many rehearsals will you be squeezing in this week with Linda? Give us some insight on how they will run.
We are rehearsing Wednesday through Saturday for this gig and will be with Linda from Thursday. I need to discuss the format with Linda and our assistant musical director, Bayden Adams, but we have eight of her compositions to get through as well as an opening number. I’m hoping that once we’ve had the opportunity to run through everything with her, we can work on some of the trickier moments and polish them.
How are you and Bayden working together in this instance?
We are taking four of Linda’s works each.
Anything else you’d like to add about the upcoming performance?
It would be a shame to miss it. Make sure you secure your tickets as soon as possible.
Linda May Han Oh with WAYJO’s Wednesday Night Orchestra
Time: 7:30 – 8:45pm
Date: Saturday 13 July 2024
Venue: Studio Underground, State Theatre Centre of WA
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Linda May Han Oh and Fabian Almazan working with WAYJO in 2020
Upcoming Events
Northern Corridor Training Band Showcase
Catch a glimpse of the future of Perth jazz as the WA Youth Jazz Orchestra’s Northern Corridor Band (WAYJO NC) takes the stage at The Ellington Jazz Club.
WNO with special guest Emily Gelineau
The WA Youth Jazz Orchestra’s Wednesday Night Orchestra takes centre stage at the Como Theatre, joined by acclaimed violinist, composer, and arranger Emily Gelineau for a special performance in an intimate theatre setting.
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.
Sarah McKenzie reunites with WAYJO
WAYJO is excited to collaborate with the Perth International Jazz Festival to bring the acclaimed jazz pianist, composer, and singer Sarah McKenzie (USA) back to Perth as part of her Australian tour.
Sarah has recently released her sixth album of Brazilian-inspired jazz titled ‘Without You,’ blending “inventive reworkings of classic songs from (Antonio Carlos) Jobim and others with four of McKenzie’s original compositions” – Jazzwise ★★★★
James Morrison has described her as a “once-in-a-generation talent and music marvel.” Her pronounced lyrical sense of swing has drawn comparisons to Blossom Dearie and Diana Krall.
“I’ve always loved the music of Brazil, Tom Jobim, Elis Regina, and of course Astrud Gilberto,” says Sarah McKenzie. “What I especially love about Jobim is the simplicity and clarity of his melodies, songs that one can remember and sing.”
Sarah will perform over two nights at the Liberty Theatre in the heart of Perth. Tucked away on Barrack Street, the Liberty Theatre opened as Perth’s first art house cinema in 1954. Rarely open to the public, these performances offer a unique opportunity to experience live jazz music in a vintage architectural gem.
On Friday, May 10, Sarah will be joined by renowned Perth-based jazz musicians Kristian Borring (guitar), Nick Abbey (bass), and Pete Evans (drums) for an intimate performance. Then on Saturday, May 11, WAYJO’s 18-piece Monday Night Orchestra bring the big band energy, with bold brass and bass sections to accompany her smooth Brazilian jazz songs and soulful ballads.
This is also a special reunion between Sarah and WAYJO, while she was born in Melbourne, she studied at the WA Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) and WAYJO is proud to call her an alum. In fact, the last time she performed with WAYJO was in 2012 with Mike Stewart, before she relocated to America when she was awarded a full scholarship to Berklee School of Music in Boston.
Jazz afficionados and admirers of classic Brazilian tracks such as Jobim’s ‘Corcovado’ (Quiet Nights), ‘Once I Loved,’ and ‘The Girl From Ipanema,’ shouldn’t miss these performances of what Peter Quinn at Jazzwise calls “the most bittersweet gems in the Jobim canon.”
Upcoming Events
Northern Corridor Training Band Showcase
Catch a glimpse of the future of Perth jazz as the WA Youth Jazz Orchestra’s Northern Corridor Band (WAYJO NC) takes the stage at The Ellington Jazz Club.
WNO with special guest Emily Gelineau
The WA Youth Jazz Orchestra’s Wednesday Night Orchestra takes centre stage at the Como Theatre, joined by acclaimed violinist, composer, and arranger Emily Gelineau for a special performance in an intimate theatre setting.
