Boost for New Zealand Jazz

The JM Jazz World Orchestra is a premier New Zealand big band which brings together 19 of the world's best young jazz musicians, aged 18-25 selected from over 120 auditions. I sent in an audition at the end of April, and have just recently got the news I got a place in the band! This opportunity really feels like a dream.

My name is Louisa Williamson, I come from Taupo and I moved to Wellington in 2015 to pursue a Bachelor of Music majoring in jazz performance at Victoria University. I'm currently half way through my second year.

No one from New Zealand has done this before, so I'm excited to be able to represent New Zealand.

The band meets in Weikersheim, Germany in the 28th of June for a week of rehearsal, then sets off on a European tour (by bus) through Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium and finishes in Croatia on the 13th of July. Once we are in Germany, everything is covered. Food, accomodation, travel. The only cost for people in the band is finding their way to Germany, and then home from Croatia. Looking at flights, it's around $3,500 for a return flight to Europe at the moment, it being summer over there and it's fairly close, only 2 months away!

Something I'm incredibly excited about is to meet everyone else in the band, and find out what it's like to study jazz all over the world. Looking at the official band list, there are people from the following countries; USA, Canada, Croatia, Lithuania, Slovenia, South Africa, France, Finland, Italy, Israel, Spain, Germany and Norway. So, I'm definitely travelling the furthest! I'm also 1 out of 3 girls in the band! 

This is an expensive trip for me compared to the others in the band. Join me on this exciting journey through Europe!