The Orchestra is comprised of accomplished student musicians ranging in age from 14-17 years old with their mission to preserve and promote the big band jazz genre. Now in its 25th year the Orchestra has performed at such mainstay venues as The John F. Kennedy Center, The Smithsonian Institution, Voice of America, Carter Barron Amphitheater, Wolf Trap, Blues Alley and elsewhere.
The Orchestra was founded in 1985 along with its parent Blues Alley Jazz Society and performs varied musical selections by such successful jazz composers as Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and others. The Orchestra typically contains a full accompaniment of brass, strings and percussion and attracts student musicians from Frederick to Fredericksburg. Students also take part in both civic and educational trainings as they perform in senior centers, at community functions and inside houses of worship.
