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.


Tom Salleo - 2022 WAYJO AMD

2023 WAYJO Assistant Music Director Applications Open

Applications extended until Friday 2 December, 2022 - 12.00pm AWST

Proudly supported by the Simon Lee Foundation, the WA Youth Jazz Orchestra (WAYJO) Assistant Musical Director program annually offers a mentoring traineeship for a young and emerging musical director.

The program is a unique opportunity to develop skills in conducting a large orchestral band, programming repertoire for an 18-piece big band, and developing the leadership skills required to inspire and enhance the skills and experience of young band members.

Experienced, music reading musicians aged 18 to 35 years during 2023 are invited to apply for this position, which runs at the WAYJO studio in Maylands, Western Australia.

Applications for 2023 WAYJO Assistant Musical Director open 9.00am, Monday 10 October, and close 5.00pm, Monday 28 November, 2022.

Head to wayjo.com/assistant-musical-director for details and application form – there is no cost to apply for this opportunity.

2023 WAYJO AMD Applications

“Training under the MD’s Ricki, Marty, and Mace has been an invaluable experience, which I have tapped into when working with my own bands and projects.

I’ve mostly enjoyed getting to know everyone throughout the year. After months of working and playing together, there’s a real sense of kinship between all the band members and staff alike.

Being a part of WAYJO and building connections with the team (MD’s, office staff, current members, and alumni) has opened up so many exciting career and musical opportunities for me.

I can’t imagine where my path would have led without WAYJO, and I hope to work here again in the future.”

Tom Salleo – 2022 WAYJO Assistant Musical Director

 

Photograph of Tom Salleo by Josh Wells (2022).


2022 WAYJO AMD Tom Salleo

2022 WAYJO Assistant Musical Director Appointment

The WA Youth Jazz Orchestra (WAYJO) is proud to announce Tom Salleo has been appointed Associate Music Director for 2022, commencing in February.

WAYJO General Manager Monique Douglas states "It is with great pride that WAYJO welcomes Tom this year as our Assistant Music Director. Tom brings his unique experience to our Orchestras and we look forward to the knowledge and skill he will contribute to WAYJO this year."

Proudly supported by the Simon Lee Foundation, WAYJO’s Assistant Music Director (AMD) program annually offers a mentoring traineeship to an emerging Musical Director under the age of 35. A rare opportunity for emerging band leaders to develop skills in conducting a large band, the program also covers music library, repertoire programming for an 18-piece big band, while developing leadership skills required to inspire and enhance band member’s skills and experience.

WAYJO’s Artistic Director Dr Mace Francis selected Tom after a two-month public call-out and rigorous selection process. Tom is a hardworking and conscientious young musician and composer. His calm and considerate manner in front of the band will be well received, and I know he will be able to get some great music out of the bands. I am looking forward to working with Tom and seeing what he can contribute to the organisation.

Tom, who has experience as an instrumentalist, educator and composer, is also musical director of Hills Big Band and Swingshift Big Band. “After many years being part of the WAYJO community, I am thrilled to be working alongside WAYJO as Assistant Musical Director in 2022. I look forward to making great music and sharing the stage with the brightest young musicians of our generation. Thanks to WAYJO for offering me this incredible opportunity” states Tom.

WAYJO sincerely welcomes the new addition to its small team, and look forward to working with the director in training throughout the 2022 season, launching Sunday 20 March at Lyric Lane in Maylands.

Applications for 2023 WAYJO Assistant Musical Director open in October. Head to wayjo.com for a WAYJO eNews subscription to stay informed on upcoming opportunities within WAYJO’s orchestras, pathway ensembles, and the organisation.

Tom Salleo – WAYJO Assistant Musical Director 2022
Tom Salleo (23) – WAYJO Assistant Musical Director 2022.

Hashtags: #WAYJO2022 #WAYJOamd #MusicTraineeship

WAYJO thanks continuing Government Partner, the Department of Local Government, Sport, and Cultural Industries, Lotterywest, Principal Partner North West Shelf Gas, Major Programs Partner Minderoo Foundation, MinterEllison Monday Night Orchestra Naming Rights Partner, St John of God Health Care Tuesday Night Orchestra Naming Rights Partner, and Healthway Act Belong Commit.

Contacts

Justine Thornley
WAYJO Marketing
marketing@wayjo.com
+61 8 9471 1950

Dr Mace Francis
WAYJO Artistic Director
mace.francis@wayjo.com
+61 8 9471 1950


Chris Musitano - 2021 WAYJO AMD

2022 WAYJO Assistant Music Director Applications Open

Proudly supported by the Simon Lee Foundation, the WA Youth Jazz Orchestra (WAYJO) Assistant Music Director program offers a 12-month paid mentoring traineeship for a young and emerging musical director.

The program offers the opportunity to develop skills in conducting a large orchestral band, programming repertoire for an 18-piece big band, and developing the leadership skills required to inspire and enhance the skills and experience of band members.

Experienced, music reading musicians aged 18 to 35 years during 2022 are invited to apply for this position, which runs January to December at the WAYJO studio in Maylands, Western Australia.

Applications for 2022 WAYJO Assistant Musical Director open 9.00am, Monday 4 October, and have now been extended until 5.00pm Wednesday 1 December, 2021.

Head to wayjo.com/get-involved/assistant-musical-director for details and the application form – it is free to apply for this opportunity.

“My time in the role of Assistant Music Director at WAYJO has definitely given me a different perspective (both literally and figuratively) of playing with a large ensemble, and all the insights, tips and tricks, and knowledge gained from the other musical directors and musicians are things that I have already started applying in my own musical career. As a direct result of this position, I can see the idea of becoming a bandleader in some capacity more of an attainable goal.”
Christopher Musitano – 2020-21 WAYJO Assistant Musical Director

 

Photograph 2021 WAYJO Season Launch by Josh Wells.