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
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.”
Join our team: Business Development Manager
WAYJO is offering an exciting part-time opportunity for a dynamic individual to join our dedicated office team located in Maylands as a Business Development Manager.
As Australia’s premier youth jazz orchestra and one of the nation’s longest-running arts organisations, WAYJO is seeking an experienced professional to collaborate closely in a part-time capacity with our Executive Team and Board, as well as key external stakeholders.
The chosen candidate will play a pivotal role in shaping WAYJO’s future, focusing on developing and managing innovative income generation strategies, fostering philanthropic and corporate partnerships, and expanding our supporter base. This position presents a unique opportunity to make a substantial impact on the growth and development of emerging young jazz musicians.
This position suits a strategic thinker with a passion for cultivating partnerships and excelling in creating sustainable income streams through business development plans.
To learn more about this exciting opportunity and to apply, please review the job application on Seek.
For enquiries, please contact WAYJO.
2023 Composer in Residence: Max Grynchuk
Insights from our 2023 Composer in Residence Max Grynchuk
Often, when audiences attend a WAYJO concert, they experience the polished, well-rehearsed, and refined versions of the works.
However, behind each new piece lies a lengthy process of composition. From finding inspiration and crafting the title to recognising musical influences, forming a narrative or ‘story’ behind the work, writing and re-writing the music, collaborating with band members, and so much more—it’s a comprehensive journey to create just a single new work.
That’s why we wanted to give an insight on what it takes to be a composer writing for a big band, and who better to ask than our 2023 Composers-in-Residence?
We recently had the opportunity to ask Max Grynchuk for his experience of crafting his new work, ‘Once Upon A Time in the West,’ for WAYJO as part of our Composer in Residence program.
Max Grynchuk
Can you share a bit about your background as a composer?
I began composing music at age 9 by writing short piano etudes. I picked up the trumpet in high school and joined my school’s big band program. From there I quickly became absorbed in big band music and began trying to write for the ensemble. I was fortunate to have amazing support and mentoring from various teachers and band directors and by the time I finished high school I had written several charts. I continued to write for big bands throughout my time at university and have been lucky enough to record three albums with my own big band. I currently have over 40 charts available for purchase on my website and have sold music to bands and music programs in Japan, US, UK, and France amongst others.
Tell us about your composition and where the inspiration came from.
I like to write music with a story arc in mind, and when it came to writing this commission, I wanted to do something completely different to what I had previously written. Since I was writing for a band in WA, I thought it would be fitting to write a spaghetti-western big band chart. I listened to a variety of music and watched clips from a handful of spaghetti-western movies to get an idea of how I could incorporate these tropes into a big band work. I wrote a loose plot synopsis which I used to base the structure of my piece on. From there I wrote the music to reflect what was happening in the story, covering everything from a bar-brawl to a duel, and even a train heist. The name of the tune came to me whilst jogging, so when I got home, I was disappointed to find out that I was stealing the title from one of the most famous spaghetti-western films of all time.
Can you share some of your musical influences?
I have been listening to big band music since early high school so there are many amazing writers who have inspired me. Bob Curnow’s arrangements of the music of Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays had a big influence on my writing, particularly with how he utilised the ensemble. Other writers and arrangers I listened to a lot throughout my formative years were Michel Camilo, Bert Joris, Toshiko Akiyoshi, and Maria Schneider, as well as playing a lot of Bob Minter, Thad Jones, and Sammy Nestico charts in various big bands during high school and uni.
What has been your biggest lesson/takeaway as WAYJO’s Composer in Residence?
I really enjoyed the process of writing for such an advanced ensemble where there weren’t really any limitations to what I could write. Also, having previously had to write to a strict deadline, I found that I was able to refine my process and complete this commission with much less stress than previous projects of a similar nature.
How have you worked with the Musical Director and orchestra to bring your composition to life?
I was lucky enough to fly over from Adelaide to listen to the band record the piece. It was nice to be able to offer my thoughts on a few things, but also great to see how Mace and the band interpreted what I had written and how they added their own character to it. It was definitely great to be there in person on the day to clarify parts of my whacky vision, and hopefully the band found that some of the chart made more sense after that.
Where to from here? What other musical projects are you working on?
I am currently chipping away on a few new compositions for a gig with my big band in October. I’m hoping that set will be the foundation for a new album which I would love to record sometime in 2025. Having previously recorded three albums in the space of two years, I’m aiming to do things at a less frantic pace this time around.
2023 Composer in Residence: Jessica Carlton
Insights from our 2023 Composer in Residence Jessica Carlton
Often, when audiences attend a WAYJO concert, they experience the polished, well-rehearsed, and refined versions of the works.
However, behind each new piece lies a lengthy process of composition. From finding inspiration and crafting the title to recognising musical influences, forming a narrative or ‘story’ behind the work, writing and re-writing the music, collaborating with band members, and so much more—
it’s a comprehensive journey to create just a single new work.
That’s why we wanted to give an insight on what it takes to be a composer writing for a big band, and who better to ask than our 2023 Composers-in-Residence?
We recently had the opportunity to ask Jessica Carlton for her experience of crafting her new work, ‘Yemembra Moora,’ for WAYJO as part of our Composer in Residence program. Jessica moved to Perth in 2018 and has previously been a tutor with our Progressions program.
Can you share a bit about your background as a composer?
I started composing just out of high school in 2010/2011. I was very new to it at that stage and was just experimenting and finding what kind of process worked for me. It was a few more years before I developed confidence as a composer to start performing my own music, but when I did, I fell in love with composing. I love that I can think of melodies and concepts and bring it to an ensemble of musicians who can interpret it and bring it to life with me. In my second year at university, I performed an all-original set of music for my recital and it went well so I decided to record an album of my compositions that year. Since then, I have been composing for many different instrumentations and settings and growing and developing as a composer.
Tell us about your composition and where the inspiration came from.
This composition was my first big band composition so it really stretched me as a composer. I thought of a melody and harmonic progression that I liked and then spent some time listening to different big band records to try to expand my ears and ideas before tackling it as a big band piece. The tune itself is inspired by the idea of introspection. The title, ‘Yemembra Moora,’ is taken from words my daughter says to mean ‘remember’ and ‘mirror’.
Can you share some of your musical influences?
I have many musical influences and at different points in my life, I have been drawn to different musicians’ work. Some that have been really constant in my life have been Jakob Bro, Paul Motian, and Andrea Keller.
What has been your biggest lesson/takeaway as WAYJO’s Composer in Residence?
My biggest takeaway has been that I can do things that I didn’t think I would be able to do. I always thought that big band composition was ‘out of my wheelhouse’, but I was wrong. I really enjoyed the process, and I learned so much through it, and I feel more confident to compose for large instrumentations now.
How have you worked with the Musical Director and orchestra to bring your composition to life?
The Musical Director encouraged me to bring my music to the orchestra even before it was ready. I was grateful that I had this opportunity to do this and not be judged for an unfinished composition. It is rare to be able to do this and be able to workshop a composition live with a large ensemble. It really helped me with the composition process.
Where to from here? What other musical projects are you working on?
I have been writing all new music for my Masters project which is all about transforming visual art and poems into compositions and improvisation. I recently recorded six compositions of this music and will then write my thesis about my findings. I am also pregnant with baby number two, due in July, so I will be preparing for her birth.