Youth Jazz Orchestra Bonn
Bonn jazz musicians Thomas Heck and Thomas Kimmerle founded the YOUTH JAZZ ORCHESTRA BONN in 2013 and call on young talents to participate!
The founders of the JJOB are well known in the school scene of Bonn and the region: Beyond their many years as freelance musicians, Thomas Heck and Thomas Kimmerle have gained a lot of experience working with school ensembles in recent years. Thomas Heck currently leads the Rhine Island Big Band of the Nonnenwerth High School. In 2012, Thomas Kimmerle won 3rd prize at the JUGEND JAZZT NRW state competition in Dortmund with the big band of the Clara-Schumann-Realschule Neunkirchen-Seelscheid. Currently, the Big Band at the Aloisiuskolleg is under the direction of Thomas Kimmerle.
Both saxophonists play in the BONN JAZZ ORCHESTER.
The Youth Jazz Orchestra Bonn has set itself the goal of bringing together young musicians from the Bonn region who are interested in big band jazz to form an ensemble. The guiding wish is to create a forum that enables the promotion of young talents and to create a young network.
„Serious Fun“
The framework for this project is provided by regular rehearsals that take place weekly outside of vacations. This is a deliberate counterpoint to the working methods of other orchestras, which, due to a much larger catchment area, have no other option than to schedule work phases during the vacations. So, even if the claim is more regional, the attitude should still be allowed to compare: Everyone tries to be serious about the game and thus achieve the desired fun, in other words: “Serious Fun”.
Another – to us very important – background of our work is the idea to tender the offer not only generally regionally, but also school-wide. Which means: Many of the ensemble members already play in school big bands and get offers and support in the JJOB that often cannot be provided in schools. One keyword suffices here: G8. Thus, special promotion is always done with the collegial intention of indirectly supporting leaders of school bands who benefit from knowledge, initiatives and independence of students by bringing in impulses from the outside. And also in the sense that students bring the network into the schools through their contacts.
In terms of content, the JJOB focuses musically on arrangements for the jazz big band and on contemporary big band literature. Classics such as Count Basie and Bill Holman are currently represented in their original arrangements, as are Peter Herbolzheimer, Bob Mintzer and Heiner Wiberny.
"Enthusiasm for jazz"
Prerequisites for participation are good instrumental skills, enthusiasm for jazz in the mentioned form of playing and the willingness to rehearse regularly on Saturday afternoons, as well as to participate in 3 – 4 concerts a year including preparations.
Rehearsal room
The Youth Jazz Orchestra Bonn is a guest at the Henneberger Music Academy.
(Brühler Straße 26, 53119 Bonn)
The regular rehearsals take place there on Saturdays from 13:00 to 15:00 in the rented premises. There are no rehearsals during the school vacations.
