Joining a Band,
Orchestra or Ensemble
Playing in a band, orchestra or ensemble is a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
With rehearsals each week, playing a musical instrument in an ensemble is an essential part of learning, allowing students to enhance their technique, meet other musicians, learn new skills and develop their confidence in a fun and supportive environment. We hold termly concerts for all our ensembles, providing all members a chance to perform to their family and friends.
Our ensembles are free to attend and are open to all children learning an instrument island wide, whether through ourselves or privately.
If your child would like to attend one of our ensembles, please find information on each ensemble below and click here to apply.
Training Wind Band (Grades 1-2)
Instruments: Brass & Woodwind
Provides an enjoyable first step to band musicianship and the opportunity to make new friends from schools across Jersey. In a supportive and encouraging environment, students play a variety of pieces from marches to film music to pop songs in a session that is challenging and fun.
Rehearses: Wednesday 4.00pm – 5.00pm at Fort Regent
Led by Dr Matthew Lombard
Training String Ensemble (Grades 1-3)
Instruments: Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass
The Training String Orchestra is a friendly, fun and exciting ensemble where you play and learn many different styles of music such as; classical, folk, traditional, jazz, blues, rock and contemporary. Learn new techniques to assist your string playing such as different bowings, sight reading and aural skills. There are also opportunities to improve the skill of playing from memory through musical games and improvisation.
Rehearses: Wednesday 4.00pm – 5.00pm at Fort Regent
Led by Ms Aylar Aldridge
Intermediate Wind Band (Grades 2-4)
Instruments: Brass, Woodwind & Percussion
Meets weekly for focused and enjoyable rehearsals for woodwind, brass and percussion players. It provides wonderful performance opportunities covering extensive repertoire including recent pop and rock tracks and music from the movies. In addition, the wind band often experiment in rehearsals with body and junk percussion to develop their rhythmic skills.
Rehearses: Monday 4.00pm – 5.00pm at Fort Regent
Led by Mr Allan Jones
Intermediate String Ensemble (Grades 3–5)
Instruments: Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass
Aims to extend musical skills, knowledge and understanding through focused and enjoyable rehearsals. Repertoire consists of a variety of music including standard light classics and music from film, television and theatre. All repertoire is selected with the aim of developing technique, general musicianship, and ensemble skills, as well as introducing players to the work of varied composers.
Rehearses: Monday 4.00pm – 5.00pm at Fort Regent
Led by Ms Aylar Aldridge
Junior Guitar Ensemble (Grade 1-3)
Instruments: Guitar
A unique opportunity for young guitar players, who have been learning for at least a year, to begin playing with a large group of guitarists to develop and enhance their ensemble skills. The sessions focus on utilising TAB and rhythm reading skills, alongside their single note and basic chord skills to create a truly unique sound!
Rehearses: Friday 5.00pm – 6.00pm at Fort Regent
Led by Mr Oliver Rybarczuk and Mr Jesse Day
Senior Guitar Ensemble (Grade 3+)
Instruments: Guitar
Rehearses: Friday 4.00pm – 5.00pm at Fort Regent
Led by Mr Oliver Rybarczuk and Mr Jesse Day
Advanced Brass Ensemble (Grades 5+)
Rehearses: Tuesday 4.30pm – 5.30pm at Fort Regent
Led by Mr Luke Brown
Advanced String Ensemble (Grades 5+)
Instruments: Strings
The Advanced String Ensemble meet each week to learn a selection of string based repertoire as well as sectional work for when they join up with members of the Jersey Youth Wind Band to form the Jersey Youth Orchestra. The focus is on tuning, advanced technique and orchestral etiquette. Opportunities are provided to try ensemble and orchestral leading and a variety of formal and informal performances mean there is always something exciting to work towards.
Rehearses: Tuesday 4.30pm – 5.30pm at Fort Regent
Led by Mrs Katy Parker
Advanced Woodwind Ensemble (Grades 5+)
Instruments: Woodwind
Rehearses: Tuesday 4.30pm – 5.30pm at Fort Regent
Led by Mrs Gina McLinton
Jersey Youth Big Band (Grades 5+) – Entry by Audition
Instruments: Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Drums, Keyboard, Bass Guitar, Electric Guitar
Explore exciting big band repertoire and develop new skills including improvisation and jazz performance. Music includes well known big band standards such as Strike up the Band, It Don’t Mean a Thing (if it Ain’t Got that Swing), Take the “A” Train and some popular classics arranged for the band like Livin’ La Vida Loca, Watermelon Man and the Mission: Impossible theme.
Rehearses: Fortnightly Monday 5.00pm – 6.00pm at Fort Regent
Led by Dr Matthew Lombard
Saxophone Ensemble (Grades 3+)
Instruments: Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone
The saxophone ensemble is an opportunity for saxophonists to learn exciting music together, explore repertoire specifically written or arranged for saxophone ensembles, and to develop skills as chamber musicians. Students have the opportunity to learn a new member of the saxophone family, if that is of interest to them, and depending on the availability of instruments. If they have ever wondered about learning to play the soprano, tenor or baritone saxophone, this may be their chance!
Rehearses: Scheduled dates
Led by Dr Matthew Lombard
Jersey Youth Wind Band (Grade 5+)
Instruments: Brass, Woodwind & Percussion
Play a wide variety of music, from film and pop music to original wind band compositions. The band performs regularly throughout the year in a series of concerts in Jersey and also travel abroad to perform, most recently to Germany and to Switzerland.
Rehearses: Scheduled Dates
Jersey Youth Orchestra (Grade 5+) – Entry by Audition
Instruments: Strings, Brass, Woodwind & Percussion
The orchestra endeavour to cover a wide range of musical styles from classical to show tunes and film music. Their current programme includes Schubert’s unfinished symphony and an arrangement of ABBA’s Mamma Mia! Learning experiences include rehearsal etiquette and performance practice. Students can even try their hand at conducting and some may like to audition to play a solo movement in one of the several performance opportunities throughout the year.
Rehearses: Scheduled Dates
Les Cors Jerriais
Instruments: French Horn
Les Cors Jerriais consists exclusively of French Horn players in Jersey, run in collaboration between the Jersey Academy of Music and the Jersey Music Service.
Rehearses: Scheduled Dates