To honour promises made to ticket purchasers, we will keep mask and vaccine requirements
for the 2021-2022 season.
Events may be altered or cancelled at any time due to health or travel regulations.
Note: Our primary concern is your safety and the safety of our musicians, volunteers and staff.
The audience capacity at all concerts will be at, or less than, provincial capacity restrictions.
for the 2021-2022 season.
Events may be altered or cancelled at any time due to health or travel regulations.
Note: Our primary concern is your safety and the safety of our musicians, volunteers and staff.
The audience capacity at all concerts will be at, or less than, provincial capacity restrictions.
WJO 2021-2022
ST. JAMES INFIRMARY RETURNS! After a three year absence, we are thrilled to revive our popular fundraiser with Jennifer Hanson on vocals. Spacious seating in prearranged groups of your choice! The WJO will revive its popular annual fundraiser at the Neil Bardal Funeral Centre on June 2. This will be an exciting concert of New Orleans‐inspired big band music and fundraiser. This spectacular concert will begin with the musicians of the WJO marching through the audience in performance of St. James Infirmary, a traditional song played at New Orleans funeral dirges, followed by Second Line, another traditional song played as the wake in celebration of the person's life. This is all the more appropriate in the unique and beautiful setting of the Neil Bardal Funeral Centre. Includes a complimentary glass of wine and a light repast.
Next Concerts:
Fundraiser
St. James Infirmary Fundraiser
The WJO will revive its popular annual fundraiser at the Neil Bardal Funeral Centre on June 2. This will be an exciting concert of New Orleans‐inspired big band music and fundraiser.
June 2, 2022 | 7:30 pm | Neil Bardal Funeral Centre
Summer Events coming soon!
St. James Infirmary Fundraiser
The WJO will revive its popular annual fundraiser at the Neil Bardal Funeral Centre on June 2. This will be an exciting concert of New Orleans‐inspired big band music and fundraiser.
June 2, 2022 | 7:30 pm | Neil Bardal Funeral Centre
Summer Events coming soon!
Note:
* There will be no intermissions at concerts. Performances will be 75 - 90 minutes.
* Proof of vaccination required for attendance at live concerts. Masks to be worn at all times while in venue.
* There will be no intermissions at concerts. Performances will be 75 - 90 minutes.
* Proof of vaccination required for attendance at live concerts. Masks to be worn at all times while in venue.
Education events
Resources for Students and Teachers:
Play-along charts for students are available HERE.
Jazz Skills videos are available HERE. - Seven new videos just posted!
Play-along charts for students are available HERE.
Jazz Skills videos are available HERE. - Seven new videos just posted!
7X Picanto Festival of Canadian Music
(https://www.picanto.ca/en/page/7x-picanto-festival-2022-home)
The Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra has the honour of performing in the 7X Picanto Festival of Canadian Music. We recorded eight original jazz orchestra pieces, which are streaming for free on the Picanto website for a limited time. We hope you enjoy the music. (Our video is near the bottom of the page.)
Picanto.ca was created by and for Canadian music lovers. It’s a cooperative project of the Canadian Music Centre, a registered not-for-profit arts company representing Canadian composers and distributing their music worldwide.
Voices – A Musical Heritage
Part 1: October 24, 2021 Keeyn, composed by John Stetch Shadows, composed by Richard Gillis The Living Mind, composed by Jeff Presslaff Homenaje, composed by Rodrigo Muñoz |
Part 2: January 29, 2022 Oriri, composed by Henry Onwuchekwa Choro para Amazônia, composed by Marco Castillo Ishpiming: Epilogue, composed by Andrew Balfour Bison Hunt, composed by Michelle Gregoire |
Twisting Ways CD Release!
(Release video available to stream)
A journey of self-discovery through darkness and light inspires the words to the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra’s Twisting Ways – a unique album launching on May 10. The album features the acclaimed voice of Sarah Slean with compositions by Award-winning jazz artists David Braid (Toronto) and Philippe Côté (Montreal) with musical poetry by, Dr. Lee Tsang (Liverpool). Hear Twisting Ways, see pictures and videos of the rehearsal and performance, and hear a live question and answer session with Philippe Côté. Find more information about the CD here. |
Thank you for keeping Big Band Jazz alive
We appreciate all of you who have donated toward our 2021-2022 events and education initiatives. If you haven't yet and would like to donate, please use the button below or go to our donation page here.
Last season, we accomplished more than we dreamed possible; we performed seven live online concerts, recorded four concerts that were streamed for free, recorded student-level charts that are on this website with the scores for students to play-along with, commissioned many of these student-level charts and professional charts for the WJO to perform in the future, recorded short instructional videos, held two school workshops online, held the first Canadian Jazz Composers Workshop, held the first annual Women in Jazz Symposium, and released our fourth CD.
This season, we are planning three composers workshops, mentoring emerging composers for big band (whose pieces you will hear at our concerts!), commissioning more compositions to reflect the different cultures in our great country and will be releasing that music on our fifth CD soon. We are presenting a concert with all female performers and conductor to tie in with the International Women's Day and are planning on our Second Annual Women in Jazz Symposium. We look forward to seeing you at concerts and events, be it virtual or in-person.
Some of our dreams (the Canadian Jazz Composers Workshop and the Women in Jazz Symposium) are much better than we imagined, with people zooming in from all over North America.
Please donate to the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra so we can continue to provide you with the best in big band jazz. We have more ideas to explore and new experiences to bring to you in 2022 and beyond.
Last season, we accomplished more than we dreamed possible; we performed seven live online concerts, recorded four concerts that were streamed for free, recorded student-level charts that are on this website with the scores for students to play-along with, commissioned many of these student-level charts and professional charts for the WJO to perform in the future, recorded short instructional videos, held two school workshops online, held the first Canadian Jazz Composers Workshop, held the first annual Women in Jazz Symposium, and released our fourth CD.
This season, we are planning three composers workshops, mentoring emerging composers for big band (whose pieces you will hear at our concerts!), commissioning more compositions to reflect the different cultures in our great country and will be releasing that music on our fifth CD soon. We are presenting a concert with all female performers and conductor to tie in with the International Women's Day and are planning on our Second Annual Women in Jazz Symposium. We look forward to seeing you at concerts and events, be it virtual or in-person.
Some of our dreams (the Canadian Jazz Composers Workshop and the Women in Jazz Symposium) are much better than we imagined, with people zooming in from all over North America.
Please donate to the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra so we can continue to provide you with the best in big band jazz. We have more ideas to explore and new experiences to bring to you in 2022 and beyond.