NYJO announces autumn season.
Wednesday, September 02, 2026
The National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO) has announced its autumn programme of concerts, workshops and other learning opportunities. Press release attached.
We have received the following press release;
NYJO announces a fresh, bold autumn season of live performance, learning and emerging professional talent
NYJO is powering into autumn with an ambitious programme of performances, learning and a brand- new orchestra. From rising young talent to world-class artists, NYJO is taking jazz to new audiences across the country and onto some of the UK’s most renowned stages and festivals. With activity spanning Chelsea Arts Festival, EFG London Jazz Festival, Windsor Festival, Leicestershire, Liverpool, and Manchester, as well as major London stages including the brand-new Blue Note London, Pizza Express Jazz Club Soho and Sinfonia Smith Square.
NYJO’s Chief Executive Yvette Griffith states,
“It’s hugely rewarding to see NYJO’s programme blossoming across the UK this autumn, from prestigious venues and major festivals to brilliant new locations and audiences. With the NYJO Blueprint Orchestra now hitting the road and the launch of NYJO North this autumn, we’re creating even more exceptional opportunities for our musicians to perform, develop and connect with audiences, and this is just the start, as we continue to grow on the breadth and ambition of what NYJO delivers.”
NYJO Blueprint Orchestra takes on four major dates
It’s a big season for the brilliant new NYJO Blueprint Orchestra, with four showstopping events. NYJO Blueprint Orchestra, which launched earlier this year, led by musical director Olivia Murphy, makes its world debut at Windsor Festival on Saturday 19 September, with a bold programme celebrating two of the most influential figures in big band jazz, Toshiko Akiyoshi and Duke Ellington. The orchestra then heads to Pizza Express Jazz Club Soho on Monday 5 October, once again celebrating the music of Toshiko Akiyoshi and Duke Ellington.
The NYJO Blueprint Orchestra makes its EFG London Jazz Festival debut this November at Milton Court, performing the music of jazz trombone pioneer and educator Bob Brookmeyer. The set will feature repertoire from the 1980 Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra album Live at the Village Vanguard, showcasing the instrumental prowess and creative solos developed through the ensemble’s intensive rehearsals.
The season rounds off with a special Christmas performance at Sinfonia Smith Square: NYJO Blueprint Orchestra – Ellington’s Nutcracker on Monday 7 December, with an uplifting and festive set of big band versions of seasonal favourites, including Duke Ellington’s The Nutcracker Suite.
NYJO joins Blue Note London’s opening season
Another major highlight, NYJO performs as part of the opening season of Blue Note London with Steam Down X NYJO Big Band on Thursday 22 October, enjoy this powerhouse collaboration for two unmissable nights. Steam Down is known for their spontaneous performances and ability to merge jazz with Afrobeat, grime, and soul. Bringing together the best of British jazz, international talent and the next generation of artists, Blue Note London is set to become another vibrant and exciting home for live jazz in the heart of the city, reflecting the spirit of its sister venues in New York, Los Angeles, Milan and beyond.
NYJO festival appearances
Alongside NYJO Blueprint Orchestra’s EFG London Jazz Festival and Windsor Festival shows, NYJO isproud to be part of Chelsea Arts Festival with a double bill at Cadogan Hall - Timeless Icons: The Music of Miles Davis & Nina Simone on Saturday 19 September. Celebrating two jazz legends, the evening features Fodder on My Wings, is a tribute to Nina Simone’s 1982 album conceived and musically directed by Olivia Cuttill, with special appearances from Nikki Yeoh, Cleveland Watkiss MBE, Tony
Kofi and Thanda Gumede.
NYJO’s Emerging Professional Musicians also mark Miles Davis’ 100th anniversary with a nine-piece band performing Birth of the Cool, alongside fresh arrangements of his iconic repertoire by band leader Tom Stringer.
On Saturday 19 September, NYJO Youth Takeover at Chelsea Arts Festival brings together over 50 young people following a summer of composing, learning and rehearsing. Expect a big band led by maestro Sam Eastmond, a New Orleans-style Second Line ensemble led by Resident MD Vij Prakash, and a vocal set of music arranged by NYJO’s own Daisy Houlder.
At this year’s EFG London Jazz Festival, NYJO’s Under 18s take over Toulouse Lautrec on Sunday 15 November. Two outstanding young ensembles, the Under 18s Ensemble led by Winston Clifford and the Under 18s Band led by Olivia Murphy, will perform an exciting programme of contemporary and classic jazz.
Learning and emerging professional opportunities
NYJO’s Learning and Emerging Professional opportunities are expanding nationally this autumn. First up, our Emerging Professional Musicians aged 18–25 hit the road for NYJO’s First Time Jazz Schools Tour, taking a series of workshops and performances to under-18s across Leicestershire. UK jazz scene one-to-watch trumpeter Olivia Cuttill will join four other NYJO Emerging Professionals to ignite the creative spark in secondary school audiences, working across eight schools from 8–11 September and
using the music of Charles Mingus as a starting point for their introduction to jazz.
Following a busy summer, the full roster of NYJO Under 18s ensembles will regroup as our Saturday programme begins a new term on 26 September.
October also marks the next dates for our Under 18s Manchester Collective, a regularly rehearsing programme in collaborative melody-making and building a jazz vocabulary for musicians aged 13–18 and the first of NYJO Under 18s Collectives to be created around the country.
Lead NYJO Educator and star alumnus of our Emerging Professional programme, Fergus Quill has an exciting season ahead, as he heads to Liverpool on 27 October to deliver a two-day Holiday Project focused on score reading and improvisation. This new Liverpool Under 18s Collective will explore music from across the history of jazz, with plenty of ensemble skills for young musicians to get their teeth into.
NYJO North launching in Manchester
NYJO North launches this year in Manchester, Fergus Quill once again teams up with NYJO to form a new 12-piece project exploring bespoke arrangements of the music of Carla Bley. Designed for 18–25 year olds in the North of England, the project will create new opportunities for jazz development, collaboration and performance. NYJO plans to take this model to other areas of the country, opening up valuable development and performance opportunities to young musicians across the UK.
NYJO Listings | September–December 2026
Tuba Workshops at Brassworks
Saturday 5 September | Woolwich Works
Following a tour of various festivals including We Out Here and Love Supreme, our Jazz Educators are back with the famous NYJO tubas. Showing the public how awesome this powerful element of the brass band can be, NYJO musicians will be on hand to teach total beginners how to play and make music together. Workshops will run in Woolwich Works, from 12 noon.
NYJO Miles Davis 100 + Second Line at Brassworks
Saturday 5 September | Woolwich Works
NYJO’s Emerging Professional Musicians honour the 100th anniversary of Miles Davis’ birth with a special nine-piece band, bringing to life the highly influential 1957 album Birth of the Cool, mirroring Miles Davis’ original nonet configuration.
As seen at Love Supreme, Cross the Tracks and Chelsea Arts Festival, NYJO are bringing their Second Line band to the streets of Woolwich! NYJO’s Second Line performance involves horns, trombones, saxophones and percussion and is inspired by the tradition of New Orleans street music. The music is loud, vibrant, and all about making its audience want to dance.
First Time Jazz Schools Tour
Tuesday 8 September | Leicestershire Secondary Schools
After last year’s successful schools’ tour in Humberside, we’re embarking on our next First Time Jazz excursion, this time in Leicestershire, from 8-11 September. The programme is a first-access project designed to introduce school pupils to jazz and creative music-making. This year, a team of 5 NYJO Emerging Professional musicians led by Olivia Cuttill will be delivering a series of gigs and workshops in 8 schools across Leicestershire, inspired by the music of Charles Mingus.
NYJO Blueprint Orchestra at Windsor Festival
Saturday 19 September, 8pm | Windsor Parish Church, High Street
NYJO Blueprint Orchestra makes its world debut at Windsor Festival with a bold programme celebrating two of the most influential figures in big band jazz, Toshiko Akiyoshi and Duke Ellington.
Timeless Icons: The Music of Miles Davis & Nina Simone
Saturday 19 September, 7.30pm | Chelsea Arts Festival, Cadogan Hall
A celebration of jazz legends Miles Davis and Nina Simone with a NYJO double bill at Chelsea Arts Festival. NYJO’s Emerging Professional Musicians honour the 100th anniversary of Miles Davis’ birth with a special nine-piece band, bringing to life the highly influential 1957 album Birth of the Cool, mirroring Miles Davis’ original nonet configuration. Plus, expect new arrangements of his iconic repertoire by bandleader and lead trumpet, NYJO’s own Tom Stringer.
Fodder On My Wings, a tribute to Nina Simone’s 1982 album, conceived and musically directed by NYJO Emerging Professional trumpeter Olivia Cuttill. Featuring Cleveland Watkiss MBE, Tony Kofi, Nikki Yeoh and Thanda Gumede, originally debuted for NYJO 60th anniversary celebrations.
NYJO Youth Takeover Day @ Chelsea Arts Festival
Saturday 19 September, 11am | Sloane Square, Chelsea
Presented in partnership with Chelsea Arts Festival, over 50 young musicians take to the stage following a summer of music making to showcase the results of their work in a vibrant celebration of creativity. From powerful big band jazz to stunning choral arrangements of Carole King classics, head down for this fantastic takeover.
NYJO Under 18s Programme
Saturday 26 September–Saturday 5 December | Woolwich Works
NYJO Under 18s is a Saturday programme for young people aged 11-18, offering training, ensemble-playing, performance opportunities and jams to develop technique and creativity.
NYJO Under 18s Manchester Collective
Saturday 3 October–Saturday 5 December | Band on the Wall, Manchester
NYJO’s Under 18s Manchester Collective is for those aged 13–18 who are interested in exploring the world of jazz, experimenting with improvisation and experiencing the excitement of playing live music with others. Participants should be able to play an instrument, including voice, to approximately Grade 3+ level.
NYJO Blueprint Orchestra at PizzaExpress Jazz Club (Soho)
Monday 5 October, 6.30pm | PizzaExpress Live Soho
Experience NYJO’s exciting new orchestra, NYJO Blueprint Orchestra and their bold programme, led by Musical Director Olivia Murphy, celebrating two of the most influential figures in big band jazz, Toshiko Akiyoshi and Duke Ellington.
Woolwich Works Songbirds
Wednesday 7 October–Wednesday 25 December | Woolwich Works
This group is NYJO’s singing group for adults aged 50+, delivered in partnership with our home venue Woolwich Works, who would like the opportunity to come together to sing, chat, and meet new people. It is a fun, inclusive learning environment suitable for beginners or those who have been singing for years.
October Liverpool Holiday Project
Tuesday 27–Wednesday 28 October, 12–4pm | Future Yard, Liverpool
For young people aged 13–18, Grade 3+ on their instrument (including vocalists), who want to explore jazz, ensemble playing and improvisation. Led by NYJO Lead Educator Fergus Quill, sessions cover ensemble playing, music reading and improvisation, with music spanning the history of jazz.
Steam Down X NYJO Big Band
Thursday 22 and Friday 23 October, 7pm & 9.30pm | Blue Note London
Steam Down and NYJO are back together in a powerhouse collaboration for two unmissable nights, ready to set the cities’ jazz scene alight at its newest venue, Blue Note London.
NYJO Presents: Krówki
Thursday 29 October, 9pm | Smith Square Crypt
Experience the freshest sounds on the jazz scene in an intimate, candlelit setting as the ‘Jazz in the Crypt’ series continues platforming our Emerging Professionals own bands. With influences across British, Irish, and Polish folk music, Krówki traces a dynamic and energetic line through traditional folk tunes, jazz, and improvisational music.
EFG London Jazz Festival: NYJO Under 18s @ Toulouse Lautrec
Sunday 15 November, 1pm | Toulouse Lautrec, London
As part of the EFG London Jazz Festival, NYJO’s Under 18s take over Toulouse Lautrec in Kennington for an afternoon showcasing the next generation of jazz talent. Experience two outstanding young ensembles: the Under 18s Ensemble led by Winston Clifford and our Under 18s Band led by Olivia Murphy, performing an exciting programme of contemporary and classic jazz.
NYJO Presents: Kodie Kwartet
Thursday 19 November, 9pm | Smith Square Crypt
The second of our late night ‘Jazz in the Crypt’ events which showcase NYJO Emerging Professional’s bands, Kodie Kwartet makes music that bends genre norms, brings emotion to the listener and fuses different cultures into modern day music. Their repertoire consists of original music written by bandleader Spencer Sarkodie and other members of the band, alongside covers of Jazz Fusion standards and more.
EFG London Jazz Festival: NYJO Blueprint Orchestra
Saturday 21 November, 7.30pm | Milton Court
NYJO Blueprint Orchestra’s EFG London Jazz Festival debut. Our newest ensemble will perform the music of jazz trombone pioneer and educator, Bob Bookmeyer. This event is part of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama’s annual free Jazz Festival, celebrating the creativity and originality of the Guildhall Jazz community.
NYJO Blueprint Orchestra – Ellington’s Nutcracker
Monday 7 December, 7pm | Sinfonia Smith Square
Expect an uplifting and festive set, filled with big band versions of seasonal favourites, including Duke Ellington’s The Nutcracker Suite, Bing Crosby’s Winter Wonderland, Dean Martin’s Let It Snow and an English trad. version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.
About NYJO
NYJO is a registered charity and an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation with a mission to bring jazz and improvised music to young musicians aged 14-25, and audiences across the country. We strongly believe in the power of jazz as a tool for social change and work to creatively nurture young people, empowering them to develop, personally and artistically, through high-quality, accessible, and inclusive learning programmes and professional live performances.
With a strong commitment to making jazz and music making opportunities more evenly distributed across the UK, we work in collaboration with likeminded partners around the country to address access barriers to music education and deliver bespoke programmes that inspire young people to use jazz as a form of self-expression.
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