National
NYJO develops national projects with clearly established pathways for progression, in which achievements are celebrated at every level.
Our national programme is based around ‘Collaborative Learning’ and ‘Partnership Building’ project strands, where we co-develop initiatives with partners that respond to their work and their communities’ needs. Our partners provide local knowledge and infrastructure to identify need, facilitate provision and ensure sustained impact.
Our Learning projects always culminate in the opportunity to perform to a supportive audience, giving young people the chance to develop skills and confidence on stage.
If you would like to find out more about our National work, please contact us at [email protected].
Coming up in our National Learning Programme!
Manchester 2026 Sessions
For young people aged 13 – 18 who are interested in exploring the world of Jazz, experimenting with improvisation, and experiencing playing live music with others. Together with some of our NYJO Emerging Professional musicians, you will dive deeper into the worlds of improvisation & collective composition.
Birmingham 2026 Sessions
In 2026, NYJO are leading a series of workshops with B:Music’s Beginner and Intermediate Jazz Ensembles for 11-19 year-olds. These workshops, led by NYJO Emerging Professional musicians Maya Mitra and Amelia Wilding, will allow these young people to become the support sets for our Masada gig at B:Music in March with Sam Eastmond.
Newcastle 2026 Sessions
In 2026, NYJO are leading a half term intensive for young people in balletLORENT’s Youth Academy. Working with participants aged 13 – 18, this project will support these young people to create a performance piece that they will then showcase at Cobalt Studios in March, before NYJO’s performance here with Theon Cross.
Rhondda Cynon Taf
We are thrilled to announce that our programme of schools tours is back on the road and, this time, we are in the Welsh valleys! Our dynamic first-access schools’ tour programming is designed to inspire young people aged 11-16 to explore jazz through engaging, interactive performances and workshops.
Leicestershire 2026 Sessions
We are delighted to be partnering with Leicestershire Music Hub across February – March this year. Three local secondary school ensembles will get the chance to work with NYJO Emerging Professional musicians, building their confidence in improvisation and experimenting with new musical styles and techniques.
CSVPA & NYJO Scholarships
Cambridge School of Visual & Performing Arts (CSVPA), in collaboration with NYJO, launches two full jazz music scholarships for its one-year Level 4 Music Foundation course, beginning in September 2026. Scholarships provide full course tuition, accommodation, all meals and weekly one-to-one lessons, removing financial barriers for talented young jazz musicians.
Previous Highlights from our National Learning Programme
We Out Here
Read all about our tuba workshops in the Family Field at We Out Here Festival 2025, inspired by Township Jazz and the music of Abdullah Ibrahim.
Ramsgate
Find out more about our 2025 Ramsgate Summer Project, exploring South African rhythms and melodies through the Marimba, Tuba and Spoken Word.
Dorset
Find out more about how we explored music and freedom through the lens of Township Jazz during our 2025 workshop series across schools and care centres in Dorset.
Manchester
Find out more about our work in Manchester across 2025, helping young people and local educators to build their confidence in engaging with creative music-making.
Humberside
The 2025 edition of our First Time Jazz Tour visited 8 secondary schools, performing to over 1,100 young people, 64% of whom had never seen live jazz music before.
Lancashire
Find out more about our 2025 project led by Fergus Quill, working with Lancashire Schools Jazz Orchestra to build confidence in improvisation.
Essex
Turning up the Volume on Wellbeing: Read more about our 2025 Music & Mental Health Pilot in Essex secondary schools.
North Lincolnshire
Find out more about our music education project involving four schools in North Lincolnshire during 2024.
Luton
Read all about our pilot project in Luton earlier in 2024, inspiring the next generation of musicians at Challney High School for Boys.
NYJO Network
The NYJO Network seeks to support peer learning and development between music educators around the country who want to:
- Forge partnerships with other organisations facing similar challenges
- Share ideas and learnings
- Work together to widen access to their programmes
The Network meets across the year to share the success and challenges of music education in their areas. The hope is that by bringing organisations together, we can work to support each other in meeting challenges, celebrating success, and finding new ways of working collaboratively to strengthen the sector to the benefit of all.
If you’re interested in joining the NYJO Network, please contact NYJO’s Learning Programmes Producer Beth Ismay at [email protected].
Network Digital Hub Launch Event
We are delighted to announce that on Saturday 21 March we will be launching our brand-new NYJO Network Digital Hub!
This Hub has been designed as a place to share best practice in the training and professional development of musicians interested in growing their skills as jazz educators, and increasing their confidence in delivering sessions focused on improvised music-making.
An Ambitious Redefining
Beth Ismay, our Learning Programmes Producer and host of the NYJO Network sessions, was a participant on the Clore Leadership 2024 Inclusive Cultures programme.
Read her reflections on the nature of ‘ambition’, and how it comes into play in her work at NYJO at her blog post for Clore linked below.
