2010 Auditions open for the WA Youth Jazz Orchestra

The WA Youth Jazz Orchestra (WAYJO) invites developing young jazz musicians to attend our auditions to test themselves against the best of their peers, and win a highly coveted place in the orchestra. Each year hundreds of young musicians audition for one of just 60 places at WAYJO - to be nurtured, and supported in their musical development.

Why audition?
WAYJO is a hothouse for Australia's young jazz musicians. It is the bridge for aspiring young players to professional working musicians and provides a unique experience for jazz musicians aged 14 to 25 who are the absolute cream of young jazz players in the State.

Auditions for acceptance into WAYJO are very competitive. Those who make it are amongst the very best young players in WA and are rewarded with career-defining experiences - touring, training, recording and performing with world-class guest artists.

WAYJO graduates are making their mark in Australia and internationally. They have taken the music world by storm and pop up in touring rock, pop, jazz and musical stage show bands across the globe. In 2008, former WAYJO graduates played in the Dancing with Stars house band (Jordan Murray - trombone), toured in Kylie Minogue's X2008 show (Graeme Blevins - saxophone), toured with James Morrison (Troy Roberts - saxophone and Dane Alderson - bass) and with Kate Ceberano (Jamie Oehlers - saxophone, also named Head of Jazz at WAAPA this year).

Ok give me the audition details!
WHEN:   RSVP cut-off date for audition registrations Friday 19 February, 2010!
Mon Feb 22  - Rhythm Section* and Vocals** : piano, guitar, bass, drums, vocals
Tue Feb 23 - Brass: trumpet, trombone, French horn, euphonium, tuba etc…
Wed Feb 24 - Woodwinds: saxophones (including alto, tenor, baritone), flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, bass clarinet

.*  Guitar + Bass amps supplied (bring your own lead).  Drum kit provided – need to bring your own cymbals, sticks and hi hat clutch.
**   Vocalists need to bring microphone and lead as well as accompanist music in the key they are singing.

TIME: From 6pm. All audition places must be booked prior to the audition.

WHERE:  Auditions will take place at the WA Academy of Performing Arts, 2 Bradford Street, Mt Lawley. 

WHO: Assessors at the audition:
 Mace Francis, WAYJO Artistic Director, Composers Ensemble Music Director
 Roger Garrood, WAYJO Swing Band Music Director  
 Marty Pervan, WAYJO Big Band Music Director
 John Morrison, Australian big band icon who will be flying in from Sydney
 Assessors will focus on scales, sight reading, tone, technique, and range on the instrument. Improvisation may be assessed but is not necessary.

COST:  The fee is $15

REGISTRATION: To register your audition time slot or for more information please email admin@wayjo.com or alternatively telephone: (08) 9471 1950.

Can you tell me more about WAYJO'S training program?
The purpose of WAYJO is to give young jazz musicians the training to play at a professional standard.
- Elite: Our students perform alongside award-winning guest artists and some of the biggest names in the genre including Fred Wesley, Frank Foster, James Morrison, Kate Ceberano, Rhonda Birchmore, Don Burrows, Joe Chindamo, John Morrison and Libby Hammer.  

- Exciting: Our students perform at public events each month, with audiences ranging from 100 people at small, hip jazz haunts such as the Fremantle Jazz Society and the Ellington Jazz Club to 1,500 people at the Perth Concert Hall or 3,000 picnic-goers at the Perth Zoo.

-Enhancing: Our students learn about the discipline required to be a part of an orchestra. They attend weekly rehearsals and experience working as part of a team.

- Empowering: Our students learn to put together a swing band, jazz band or orchestra. They learn about coordinating and managing a large team of musicians as well as conducting and rehearsal techniques. Students also gain the confidence to venture out and create their own bands and earn a living from being a musician.

- Enlightening: Our students learn about the history of jazz and the important role this history plays in modern jazz compositions. Students learn new music repertoires, working with budding composers through WAYJO’s Composer-in-Residence program, which each year commissions an emerging composer to create a minimum of three original works.
 
- Expressive: Our students have the opportunity to participate in a CD recording - to learn about and experience the life of a recording artist. The latest CD was release, Road to Red Hill, a collection of traditional jazz standards as well as original compositions, was launched on 15 November, 2009.

- Expansive: Our students tour annually. WAYJO musicians perform at large WA regional towns such as Albany and Bunbury. There are also opportunities to tour nationally to the eastern states, for example to the large Jazz Festivals as well as internationally, to cities such as New York.

What we've achieved at WAYJO
WAYJO has performed with respected Australian musicians including James Morrison, John Morrison, Graeme Lyall, Kate Ceberano, Rhonda Birchmore, Don Burrows, Joe Chindamo and Libby Hammer. Our young jazz musicians have also had the privilege to work with international jazz legends including Frank Foster from the Count Basie Orchestra, Composers - Ed Partyka, Jim McNeely and Toshiklo Akiyoshi plus Fred Wesley, James Brown's famous side kick during his hey-day.

In the past, WAYJO performers have toured regionally to Shark Bay (2007), Bunbury (2008) and Albany (2009); nationally to Sydney in 2000; and internationally to New York in 2006.

WAYJO plays a special part in creating Perth's vibrant live jazz scene. Almost every jazz, swing, lounge and big band now performing in Perth boasts current or past members of WAYJO, proving that the WAYJO experience works. Local jazz giants - Jamie Oehlers, Graham Wood, Troy Roberts, Carl Mackey and Mat Jodrell - have all played their way through WAYJO.

In 2008, WAYJO musicians swept up numerous awards for emerging jazz artists:
 - Sarah McKenzie - James Morrison Scholarship winner (2009), Bendat Scholarship winner and WAAPA Most Outstanding Graduating Jazz Student. 
 - Brett Smith - Bendat Scholarship winner. 
 - Daniel Thorne - awarded Australia Council of the Arts funding to compose a new work for the Mace Francis Orchestra.
 - Callum G'Froerer  - IAJE Clifford Brown/Stan Getz Scholarship (New York)

WAYJO has produced eight recent James Morrison Scholarship winners - Sarah McKenzie (2009), Konrad Paszkudski (2008), Andrew Fisenden, Troy Roberts, Dane Alderson, Mat Lees, Matilda Anderson and Mat Jodrell.