Melbourne Youth Big Band

Melbourne Youth Big Band

Join Melbourne Youth Big Band and take your first step into the world of jazz. Work with some of Australia’s best jazz educator and perform in iconic venues across Melbourne.

In Melbourne Youth Big Band, you’ll join like-minded aspiring jazz players, work with highly respected directors and guests, and delve into a variety of jazz genres and standards. This ensemble is a great first experience for young musicians to learn the workings of a big band in a supportive and fun environment.

MELBOURNE YOUTH BIG BAND

Approximate standard: AMEB Grade 5+ or equivalent
Approximate age range: 12+
Rehearsals: Saturday 12.30-2.30pm
Instruments: Trumpet, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Trombone, Bass Trombone, Drums, Guitar, Piano, Percussion, Upright and Electric Bass

In Melbourne Youth Big Band, you will:

– Share and nurture your love of jazz with friends and peers;
– Gain performance experience in professional settings
– Work with some of Australia’s finest professional jazz artists

Conductors for 2024 include:

Program 1      Sonja Horbelt
Program 2      Roger Schmidli
Program 3      Jordan Murray

Sonja Horbelt
Sonja is a graduate of the VCA and has worked extensively as a freelance drummer with noted artists such as jazz performers Bob Sedergreen, Andrea Keller, and Sandy Evans, comedians …
Sonja is a graduate of the VCA and has worked extensively as a freelance drummer with noted artists such as jazz performers Bob Sedergreen, Andrea Keller, and Sandy Evans, comedians Casey Bennetto, Geraldine Quinn, Eddie Perfect, Geraldine Hickey, and Tommy Little, and cabaret and music theatre artists such as Rhonda Burchmore, Lucy Durack, Anne Wood and Amanda Harrison. Sonja has her own project Kennedy Snow which features acclaimed vocalist Nina Ferro and has an upcoming second cd due to be released early 2024. She has three decades of experience performing regularly across Australian venues ranging from small jazz clubs to large theatres and Concert Halls.
Sonja has chaired and co-artistic directed the Melbourne Womens International Jazz Festival (MWIJF) since 2003. This festival has been responsible for providing opportunities for countless emerging, developing and established female-identifying improvising artists Australia wide, championing new works and ensemble collaborations and featuring local, interstate and international artists. Sonja consults for Melbourne International Jazz Festival’s Take Note award for emerging female artists, has lectured at Monash, VCA and Melbourne Polytechnic and is the Head of Contemporary Music Studies at Ruyton Girls School and Loreto Toorak.

Photo credit: Fred Kroh

Roger Schmidli
Roger is a Melbourne based trombonist/composer who has worked professionally in bands and orchestras for over 35 years. He often works in Melbourne’s professional musical theatre scene, most recently being …
Roger is a Melbourne based trombonist/composer who has worked professionally in bands and orchestras for over 35 years. He often works in Melbourne’s professional musical theatre scene, most recently being seen on shows such as Dream Lover, Barnum and Chicago. Away from musical theatre Roger is a long time member of The Daryl McKenzie Jazz Orchestra and has performed with a wide range of local and internationally touring artists such as Ray Charles, Jerry Lewis, Bill Watrous, James Morrison, John Farnham, Olivia Newton John and Jon Stevens. He is also a member Melbourne’s, Jack Earle Big Band, and leads his own jazz/funk ensemble, ‘Dig We Must’.
As a composer/music educator, he is known for his original works for big band and wind band, published extensively and featured on festival lists both here and Internationally.

Jordan Murray
Jordan Murray is a freelance trombonist who is passionate about music education. Jordan has established a strong reputation as a diverse performer playing in jazz, pop, funk and soul bands, …
Jordan Murray is a freelance trombonist who is passionate about music education. Jordan has established a strong reputation as a diverse performer playing in jazz, pop, funk and soul bands, symphony and pit orchestras, TV studio bands and recording studios. He is also a sought-after composer, arranger and orchestrator.
Jordan has performed throughout the world with international artists such as Aretha Franklin, Tom Jones, The Temptations, Tony Bennett, Paul Anka, Frankie Valley, Michael Buble, Kylie Minogue, Hans Zimmer, Joss Stone and Ricky-Lee Jones.
He has also performed with leading Australian artists such as John Farnham, Hugh Jackman, Tina Arena, Jon Stevens, Marcia Hines, The Tesky Brothers and The Cat Empire at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
From 2011 to 2021, Jordan lectured in jazz and improvisation studies at the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music, Monash University. Jordan holds a BMus from from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), post-graduate studies at Berklee College of Music, Boston, an MA from the Victorian College of the Arts (University of Melbourne), and a PhD from Monash University.