Since its inception in the early 70’s, the Sydney Conservatorium Jazz Orchestra has formed an alumni that features many of the leading lights in Australian Jazz.

If you want to be one jump ahead and listen out for the stars of tomorrow, it's worth catching the band. There are some great musicians in this orchestra.  An indication of the talents nurtured by the Con include some notable alumni :

Warwick Alder-Trumpet | Jeremy Borthwick-Trombone | Tony Buck-Drums | Greg Coffin-Piano | Dale Barlow –Sax | John Foreman – Piano | David Goodman-Drums | James Greening-Trombone | Toby Hall-Drums | Mark Harris-Bass | Tim Hopkins-Sax | Kevin Hunt-Piano |Mark Lau-Bass | Richard Maegraith-Saxophone | Gerard Masters-Piano | Matt McMahon-Piano | Adrian Mears-Trombone | James Morrison- Multi instrumentalist | Willow Neilson-Saxophone | Matt Ottignon-Sax | David Pudney-Bass | Craig Simon – Drums | Andrew Speight-Saxophone | Jackson Harrison – piano | Alister Spence-Arranger/Pianist | Phil Stack-Bass | Simon Sweeney – Trumpet | David Theak – Saxophone | Cameron Undy – Bass | Jonathan Zwartz – Bass | Mike Rivett- Saxophone| Tim Firth- Drums AND MANY, MANY OTHERS!

For this maiden national tour, the Orchestra are teaming up with Belgian based super composer, Bert Joris. This is the first large scale touring project for a Conservatorium jazz orchestra in decades, and to distinguish this occasion and re-affirm its educational and artistic mission, the CJO has invited one of Europe’s leading composers and trumpeters Bert Joris, to be their very special guest.
 
 “It is with a great feeling of excitement that we can collaborate with such an incredible guest artist in Bert Joris” says David Theak, CJO artistic director and lecturer at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. “Over the past 5 years, the standard of Jazz Orchestral studies has developed rapidly with an emphasis on collaborating with, and performing the music of leading international composers such as Bob Brookmeyer, Maria Schneider, Florian Ross, Jim McNeely, Darcy James Argue and Dick Oatts to expose the students to the leading music and contemporary techniques required to perform Jazz Orchestral music at its highest level. These amazing young players have risen to the challenge on every level, and we are looking forward to impressing audience’s, Australia wide, with a level of sophistication normally reserved for professional Jazz orchestras around Australia”
 
Conservatorium Jazz Orchestra Artistic Director David Theak has been a tireless advocate for large ensemble jazz in Australia through his work with the Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra, as a teacher at the Sydney Conservatorium Jazz studies program, convenor of the National Big Band Composition Competition and as guest artist and artistic advisor with the West Australian Youth Jazz Orchestra. Theak created the ‘Mothership’ as a young member of Sydney’s Jazzgroove scene and is now mentor to scores of emerging musicians nationally and internationally.
 
Belgian based trumpeter and composer Bert Joris, enjoys an international reputation as one of Europe’s most accomplished practioners of Jazz Orchestral Music. Hailed by critics as “evocative, majestic, dynamic and scintillating”, Joris is best known for his work with the amazing Brussels Jazz Orchestra, Joe Lovano and iconic Belgian Guitarist, Phillip Catherine. A winner of several prestigious European prizes, including the “DJANGO D’OR” and 1998 critics choice European trumpeter of the year, Joris has appeared with The Village Vanguard Orchestra, Enrico Pieranunzi, ”Michel Herr European Quintet”and the “Philippe Aerts quartet”, “Amsterdam Jazz5tet”, Jesse Van Ruller, Joe Haider, Wolfgang Haffner, Rob van Bavel, Lew Tabakin, Hein van de Gein, Marc Moulin to name but a few. Joris last appearance in Australia in 2009 with the Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra was met with critical acclaim and strong public recognition of his incredible artistry.
 
Sydney Conservatorium Jazz Orchestra are:
David Theak – artistic director
Oliver Thorpe – Guitar
Harry Sutherland – piano
Noel Mason – contrabass
James Harris – drums
Sam Gill, Anna Leckie, Evan Harris, Michael Avegenicos, Chris O’Dea – saxophones
Dane Laboyrie, Matt Collins, Will Gilbert, Luke Stephens – trumpets
Donna Daley, Greg Chillcott, Luke Davis, Jonathan Ramsey – trombones
 
NATIONAL DATES:
 
Sat 7 Sept – Backspace Theatre – Hobart
Sun 8 Sept – Bennett's Lane – Melbourne
Mon 9 Sept – The Promethean – Adelaide
Tues 10 Sept – The Ellington – Perth
Thur 12 Sept – The Turnaround Jazz club – Brisbane
Fri 13 Sept – Verbrugghen Hall – Conservatorium Of Music – Sydney
 
 
 
 

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