Young musicians in tune to jazz up Oxfordshire
Music students from across Oxfordshire will be performing at this year’s ‘Jazz at the Fleur’ in East Hagbourne’s Fleur de Lys pub near Didcot, on Sunday 8 June.
Oxfordshire Youth Jazz Collective – part of Oxfordshire County Council’s music service – will be playing a broad range of material including stunning arrangements by Charles Mingus and Chick Corea, plus versions of well-known classics from Earth Wind and Fire and The Beatles.
Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People: “‘Jazz at the Fleur’ is another opportunity to showcase some of Oxfordshire’s most talented young musicians, inspiring children across the county to consider learning to play an instrument.
“We take enormous pride in our music service, which offers a diverse range of lessons, bands, choirs, orchestras and groups. Music is a way for children to express themselves, develop aspirations and goals and potentially a future career. I’m sure our Oxfordshire Youth Jazz Collective will enchant its audience at East Hagbourne.”
Oxfordshire Youth Jazz Collective is the council’s advanced level big band for young people, and one of four ensembles that makes up the Oxfordshire Youth Big Band programme, which has been running for more than 50 years.
Weekly rehearsals take place during term time, preparing the band for a varied array of performance opportunities throughout the year. These include regular end of term concerts alongside other big bands, as well as collaborations with music theatre students, regional festivals, music for youth events and county gala performances.
The band currently has 18 members aged 15 - 18 and enjoy playing a wide variety of big band styles, including swing classics from a repertoire of band leaders such as Basie, Ellington, Buddy Rich, Ted Heath and Benny Goodman. It also performs contemporary arrangements of popular music and original works by contemporary composers like Fred Sturm, Nikki Iles and Steve Waterman.
Olivia Ward Jacobs, aged 17, from The Cherwell School – who plays alto saxophone – will be performing at ‘Jazz at the Fleur,’ and said: “I’ve loved playing in Oxfordshire Youth Jazz Collective for the past two years. From Chipping Norton music festivals to our trip to Birmingham Symphony Hall’s jazz lounge, I’ve been inspired to play jazz, shaping me into the musician I am today.”
Oxfordshire Youth Jazz Collective was invited to perform at this year’s ‘Jazz at the Fleur’ alongside the Ronnie Scott Allstars in recognition of the young musicians’ high levels of motivation and enthusiasm. The Allstars is a British band, representing the Ronnie Scott Club in London.
Further information about Oxfordshire Youth Jazz Collective and Oxfordshire County Council’s music service is available on Oxfordshire County Council’s website.