AYJO is an elite 18 piece Big Band featuring Australia’s leading Jazz musicians aged 18-25

AYJO was formed in 2020 and this incredible ensemble brings together Australia’s brightest jazz stars to form an elite jazz orchestra for musicians aged 18-25. Since its formation, AYJO (formerly known as ANJO Youth Big Band) has presented several collaborations with leading international jazz artists

Entry to AYJO is by competitive audition, featuring a sector leading blindfold audition process and challenging excerpts for musicians to explore

AYJO costs zero to participate in due to government, small business and philanthropic support

AYJO facilitates two projects annually collaborating with the worlds best composers including multi-day rehearsal intensives, festival performances and Video & Audio recordings for subsequent broadcast

AYJO musicians & guest artists

  • 2027 tbc

    May 2027 at Generations in Jazz

    This upcoming project includes a 4 day rehearsal intensive with a leading international composer in Mount Gambier including opening night performance at the GIJ Festival (including broadcast quality live video and audio recordings of the performance) plus two days in Sydney for a second public performance with the guest artist

    Check out the auditions section to find out how to get involved

  • 2026 Florian Ross

    Saxes Damon Poppleton 23 (NSW) | Samuel Leong 20 (NSW) | Oscar Bruten 23 (VIC) | Justin Yeo 23 (NSW) | Johnny Turner 19 (SA)

    Trumpets Andrew Schwantes 19 (QLD) | Josh Ford-King 22 (TAS) | Arkie Moore 22 (NSW) | Alyssa Sinclair 24 (QLD) | Sarah Purdon 24 (NSW)

    Trombones Rhys Moore 19 (NSW) | Christopher Rozakeas 22 (VIC) | Jasmine Hall 25 (SA) | Zoe Atkinson  24 (QLD)

    Vocals Emma Ross (DE)

    Guitar Guy Ruse 22 (NSW)

    Piano Jacob McCormack  20 (NSW)

    Bass Tasha Stevens  25 (SA)

    Drums Jackson Mack 22 (SA)

    90 Applications NSW 37 VIC 19 SA 14 WA 10 QLD 8 TAS 1 ACT 1

    Applications blindfold assessed by Tom Voss SA & Mace Francis WA

    Application process overseen & collated by David Theak NSW

  • 2026 Bert Joris

    Saxes Damon Poppleton 23 (NSW) | Samuel Leong 20 (NSW) | Oscar Bruten 23 (VIC) | Justin Yeo 23 (NSW) | Johnny Turner 19 (SA)

    Trumpets Andrew Schwantes 19 (QLD) | Josh Ford-King 22 (TAS) | Arkie Moore 22 (NSW) | Alyssa Sinclair 24 (QLD) | Sarah Purdon 24 (NSW)

    Trombones Rhys Moore 19 (NSW) | Christopher Rozakeas 22 (VIC) | Jasmine Hall 25 (SA) | Zoe Atkinson  24 (QLD)

    Guitar Guy Ruse 22 (NSW)

    Piano Jacob McCormack  20 (NSW)

    Bass Tasha Stevens  25 (SA)

    Drums Jackson Mack 22 (SA)

    90 Applications NSW 37 VIC 19 SA 14 WA 10 QLD 8 TAS 1 ACT 1

    Applications blindfold assessed by Tom Voss SA & Mace Francis WA

    Application process overseen & collated by David Theak NSW

  • 2025 Gordon Goodwin, Wayne Bergeron & Vangie Gunn

    Saxes Damon Poppleton 22 (NSW) |  Leo Marland 19 (NSW) | Max Leggot 25 (NSW) | Tyger Cox 22 (QLD) | Lachlan Eggert 23 (NSW)

    Trumpets Joshua Ford-King 22 (TAS) |  Thien Pham 22 (VIC) | Arkie Moore 22 (NSW) | Bernice Tesara 25 (NSW)

    Trombones Julian McKay 25 (NSW) | Rhys Moore 18 (NSW) | Kyle Chenoweth 25 (VIC) | Zoe Atkinson 23 (QLD)

    Guitar Kallan Francis 21 (SA)

    Piano Tom Odell 22 (NSW)

    Contrabass James Ho 21 (SA)

    Drums Elliot Carter 22 (NSW)

    69 Applications NSW 26 QLD 10 SA 11 WA 9 VIC 11 TAS 2

    Applications blindfold assessed by Nadje Noordhuis NY & Mace Francis WA

    Application process overseen & collated by Tom Voss SA

  • 2024 Remy Le Beouf

    Saxes Tessie Overmyer 23 (NSW) | Damon Poppleton 20 (NSW) | Oscar Bruten 22 (VIC) | Justin Yeo 19 (NSW) | Alec Watts 21 (NSW)

    Trumpets Harrison Ball 24 (NSW) | Charlotte Newhouse 23 (SA) | Thien Pham 20 (VIC) | Arkie Moore 20 (NSW)

    Trombones Julian McKay 23 (NSW) | Kyle Chenoweth 23 (VIC) | Jasmine Hall 23 (SA) | Charlie Makaev 18 (SA)

    Guitar Vincent Choy 23 (WA)

    Piano James O’Brien 24 (VIC)

    Contrabass Matt Ling 23 (NSW)

    Drums Elliot Carter 21 (NSW)

    50 Applications NSW 19 SA 12 QLD 2 VIC 6 WA 10

    Applications blindfold assessed by David Theak NSW, Vanessa Perica VIC, & Mace Francis WA

    Application process overseen & collated by Tom Voss SA

  • 2022 Vanessa Perica

    Saxes Tessie Overmyer 21 (NSW) | Oscar Bruten 19 (VIC) | Jayden Blockley 23 (WA) | Patrick Lefevre 22 (VIC) | Alec Watts 19 NSW

    Trumpets Harrisson Ball 22 (NSW) | Ben Bruni 24 (QLD) | Charlotte Newhouse 21 (SA) |  Arkie Moore 19 (NSW)

    Trombones Thomas Voss 24 (SA) | Jasmine Ferguson 20 (SA) | Cailey Soon 19 (NSW) | Patrick Atkinson 20 (QLD)

    Guitar Josh Meader 24 (NSW)

    Piano Jackson Van Ballegooyen 23 (WA)

    Contrabass Oscar Peterson 23 (NSW)

    DrumsOllie Shute 21 (VIC)

    67 Applications. VIC 19. NSW 21  QLD 8. WA 9. SA 9   TAS 1

    Applications blindfold assessed by David Theak (NSW), Vanessa Perica (VIC), Nadje Noordhuis (NY) & Mace Francis (WA)

    Application process overseen & collated by Toshi Clinch

  • 2011 Will Vinson

    Saxes Tessie Overmeyer 19 (NSW) | Lachlan McGargill 20 (SA) | Patrick Lefevre 20 (VIC) | Isaac Power 21 QLD | Michael Williams 21 NSW

    Trumpets Harrisson Ball 20 (NSW) | Deven Rahman 25 (NSW) | Thomas Avgenicos 24 (NSW) | Lachlan McKenzie 25 (QLD) | Bernice Tesara 20 (NSW)

    Trombones Thomas Voss 22 (SA) | William Pethick 21 (WA) | Sam Hadlow 24 (WA) | Kit Millais 24 (VIC)

    Guitar Joshua Meader 23 (NSW)

    Piano Austin Salisbury 23 (WA)

    Bass Aidan Efron 20 (SA)

    Drums George Greenhill 20 (NSW)

    54 Applications NSW 20 VIC 7 QLD 8 WA 10 SA 15 ACT 1

    Applications blindfold assessed by David Theak NSW, Nadje Noordhuis NY, Miggy Mijama NY & Mace Francis WA

    Application process overseen & collated by Toshi Clinch VIC

  • "getting the chance to make art with composers and other young musicians I admire is an unbeatable experience!

    -Johnny Turner SA AYJO alumni 2026

  • "its a really inclusive and progressive band...its great to meet everyone from around Australia"

    - Tessie Overmyer (NSW), AYJO alumni 2021, 2022, 2024

  • "The level of musicianship has been so high!"

    —Jayden Blockley WA, 2022 AYJO alumni

  • "its such a privilege to be in the engine room of this band"

    —Charlotte Newhouse SA, AYJO alumni 2021, 2022, 2024

  • "its one of the best experiences ive ever had...like, its the best big band ive ever played with!"

    -Deven Rahman NSW, AYJO alumni 2021

  • " it was awesome! My favourite moment was we'd been rehearsing for two days straight and then Will Vinson arrived and blasted over the top..."

    -Josh Meader (NSW), AYJO alumni 2021, 2022

  • "It's been such an amazing experience to get to know some of the best jazz musicians across Australia and work on these amazing projects with these guys. I wouldn't trade it for anything else."

    Sam Leong NSW AYJO alumni 2026

  • "you get to have the BEST time! You get to travel, meet great people and play amazing music!"

    —Arkie Moore NSW, AYJO alumni 2022, 2024, 2025, 2026

Audition for AYJO

Auditions for the 2027 season featuring a soon to announced guest artist close on January 14, 2026

The AYJO audition portal will go live on December 1, 2026. From this date onwards, a series of instrument specific excerpts will be downloadable allowing aspiring AYJO members six weeks to prepare their submissions

Start practising now, the 2027 repertoire will be heavy!

    • Auditions are open to Australian Residents between the ages of 18 & 25. (ie you must be 18 years old when the project starts on April 27, 2027 and you can’t turn 26 before December 31, 2027

    • Auditions close on January 14, 2027 at 11:59pm (your time)

    • Auditions will be ‘blindfold’ judged by the AYJO Artistic Directors

    • AYJO 2027 musicians will be announced 10am (Sydney Time) on January 25 via this webpage

    • If you are auditioning for multiple instruments (eg1 tenor bone & bass trombone OR eg 2 multiple woodwind chairs) you must submit a seperate audition, and pay a seperate audition fee for each instrument

    • all applicants must pay the $25 entry fee and complete the online application form.

      Pro Tip:- Have your excerpts completed and ‘mp3 links’ saved somewhere handy before you pay the entry fee & complete application form

  • 2027 Applications are for the following positions.

    *all positions require improvising unless otherwise specified

    • Soprano Sax, Alto Sax

    • Alto Sax 2

    • Tenor Saxophone 1

    • Tenor Saxophone 2

    • Baritone Saxophone

    • Trumpet 1 Lead (section player only, no solos)

    • Trumpet 2 (section player only, no solos)

    • Trumpet 3 (section player only, no solos)

    • Trumpet 4 (solo chair)

    • Trombone 1 Lead

    • Trombone 2

    • Trombone 3 (section player only, no solos)

    • Bass Trombone (section player only, no solos)

    • Guitar

    • Piano

    • Double Bass or Electric Bass

    • Drum Kit

  • all applicants must submit audio links that include the following components:-

    • the instrument specific excerpt performed with the provided backing track

    • the instrument specific excerpt (or in the case of rhythm section the second excerpt) performed without the backing track OR a metronome

    • if required, applicants must also submit an impro excerpt using one of the backing mp3’s provided below

      NB If you are auditioning for Tenor 2, Tpt 1, Tpt 2, Tpt 3, Bone 3 or Bone 4, the impro excerpt is optional!

  • All applications are anonymised by the auditions convenor and forwarded to the judges in a randomised order with only a candidate number and the audio files to assess

    In 2027 for the first time, an instrumental expert will be engaged by AYJO to assess all the applications on their specialty instrument before making anonymous recommendations to the AYJO Artistic Directors

    [IMPORTANT] applicants must not have any identifying sounds on their mp3 audio files e.g. speaking, high heels, or identifying file names as we take our blindfold auditions very seriously.

    EG a good filename would be ‘AYJO audition 2027’’

    EG a bad filename example is ‘Theak AYJOaudition.mp3’’

National Big Band Composition Awards

in partnership with Generations in Jazz & Jazz Composers Co-op we thrilled to announce the 2027 National Big Band Composition Awards

Australia has an incredibly dynamic and internationally respected Big Band scene but opportunities for Jazz Composers to have their works professionaly rehearsed, recorded and broadcast have become increasingly rare.

This exciting initiative has been created to foster and celebrate the next generation of Australian jazz composers. and provide further pathways and a national platform for both youth and emerging Jazz composers to be heard. The Awards also aim to nurture composers whose work may one day become part of the GIJ Stage Band Awards set pieces repertoire and further supporting fresh, innovative voices to shape the future of Australian Jazz

Through these awards, GIJ, AYJO & JCC continue their collective commitment to supporting excellence in jazz education, composition, and performance of excellent Big Band music for generations to come

The 2027 NBBCA will consist of two divisions:- Division 1 (Emerging) and Division 2 (Youth)

more information to be published on August 1