The National Youth Jazz Collective (NYJC) supports the creative & educational needs of the young jazz musician, focusing on small group improvisation within a pathway of progression from beginners to young professionals. We bring young jazz enthusiasts together to develop their skills, passion and experience as jazz players; we offer music education for 8–18-year-olds, helping them to play by ear in small groups and to learn to improvise, compose, arrange and lead their own bands; and we provide materials for music teachers and schools to encourage young musicians to improvise.
NYJC enables young jazz enthusiasts to find equally keen young musicians. Together we help develop their skills, passion and experience as jazz players by empowering them to learn, improvise, compose, arrange and lead bands. We run an amazing annual Summer School, selecting 45 of the nation’s best young jazz musicians from a 14-day national audition tour. Placed in one of five ensembles and supported by 15 world class performers / educators, everyone’s playing gets a huge boost. In addition, we conduct a series of regional monthly sessions around the country – open to players of any standard.
