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