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About the Festival
Mission Statement
‘To sustain one of the best and most friendly jazz festivals in the
world through a diverse programme. To celebrate jazz for the benefit of
the Borough of Wigan and to develop the participation of local, national
and international artists.’
Jazz Education
Jazz education has always been a key element of the Wigan International
Jazz Festival.
The Festival has ensured that it provides opportunities that support the
development of young musicians. The Wigan Youth Jazz Orchestra (WYJO)
has featured as part of the festival since its inception and it has
performed on stage with some of the world's biggest jazz names including
Maynard Ferguson, Bobby Shew and James Morrison. Such experience has
enabled many members of WYJO to progress in the industry and develop
successful careers of their own.
Other Jazz Education activities have included a Jazz Mentoring Scheme.
The Mentoring Scheme took place across the full 2006 and 2007 festival
week and invited a handful of young jazz musicians to uniquely learn,
practice and perform with guest musicians including Darius Brubeck.
The Festival actively promotes jazz and wider musical development within
Wigan Borough community and communities within Greater Manchester.
Working in partnership with Wigan Music Service, we arrange jazz music
and instrument workshops in schools and in 2009, we will launch an
outreach programme, taking jazz into our principle sponsor - Manchester
Airport's partner schools in Wythenshawe.
Each year, the festival provides a programme of lunch time workshops and
seminars which are open to all members of the public. The sessions cover
topics from music arrangement and instrumentation to performers sharing
experiences and offering advice. Don Lusher, Eric Delaney, Sheila Tracy.
Alan Barnes are a few of the names to host a previous seminar.
The inclusion of jazz education in our programme and the value that we
genuinely place on jazz education, is we believe, what differentiates us
from the majority of other UK and international festivals.
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Columbia Jazz Band
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