Big Band

The music we play is varied from traditional jazz swing to pop, gospel and funk. The band also have a mixture of vocal and instrumental tunes and will focus heavily on the specific musicianship required for performing within a big band. For those who are wondering, the big band is a 17 piece (we expand this ensemble to accommodate as many people as feasible) that predominantly performed for vocalists (Think Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald) in swing era of the 20th Century. This type of ensemble has now developed to suit much more eclectic settings and the aim is for our band members to experience the full spectrum of big band music.

Rehearsals are fun and challenging; I aim to get the most out of each musician, regardless of their current skill level. The ethos of the band is that we are one big family, so both musical and rehearsal commitment is required from the start. This mentality has proven time and again to foster not only musical development but also lifelong friendships, bonds and memories among band members.

There are multiple opportunities for the band to perform throughout the year. Our stomping ground is The Dairy pub on London Road Campus. We have also performed at the Hexagon, The Great Hall, Swing Dance society events as well as the Community Festival.

All our ensembles expect commitment – both turning up for all (or almost all!) rehearsals, and turning up early enough to be ready to start on time (with music, pencil, blah blah blah!). Obviously we understand sometimes things happen, but it should be rare, and you should always get in touch with us, and explain, to let us know.