As we start to cosy up for winter we’re taking a moment to reflect on the bright, joyful days of summer. In July, we had the incredible opportunity to take our ‘First Time Jazz’ Tour on the road, bringing the magic of live jazz to secondary schools across Lancashire.
The ‘First Time Jazz Tour’ is a key part of NYJO Learning introducing young people to the world of jazz in both a fun and accessible way. This year, our tour, which ran from July 8th to 12th, brought a team of talented musicians to schools in the heart of Lancashire. Led by singer-songwriter Wolfie, and supported by NYJO Emerging Professionals Sophie Speed, Tamir Smith, Georgia Ayew, and Jennie Beard, the tour was a whirlwind of performances and inspiring moments.
The band visited secondary schools across the region, where they played live jazz/jazz adjacent music, engaging students in discussions about the genre and giving them the chance to be part of the band. The response from students was overwhelmingly positive, and left so many young people with a smile on their face, sparking a new enthusiasm for jazz in their schools.
Tamir Smith reflected on how rewarding it was to see students actively engage with the music. “I think any general engagement, where the young people were asking questions about jazz and about the music, was really nice,” he said. For Tamir, it wasn’t just about teaching students to become musicians—it was about igniting an interest in jazz.
The musicians on the tour were committed to creating an environment that was fun, informative, and inspiring for all the schools they visited. This in part was due to the dynamic between the musicians themselves. Georgia Ayew reflected on being able to grow with her fellow musicians whilst on the tour. “I definitely bonded with everyone. I’ve remained friends with quite a lot of them. We got to talk a lot about the music we love which is great. And the tour is a really great way to play with other musicians and have fun with other musicians because we’re doing fun music for the young people. That kind of takes the serious edge off and allows you to really embrace communication within the band and get to know each other over those four/five days.”
While the enthusiasm of the students was great, Tamir also acknowledged the disparities in musical opportunities between urban and rural areas. Reflecting on his own upbringing in London, having grown up with a musical father, he acknowledged that the young people in Lancashire may not have access to the same resources. “Some of the kids were really into music and really into pursuing instruments, but there was still this impression of, like, this is not London. There aren’t the same opportunities,”
This is where partnerships with local services like Lancashire Music Service are important. By working together, we are able to continue to support the development of jazz education and make sure that young people across the UK have access to the same opportunities, regardless of where they may be situated. This is what is at the heart of NYJO’s Widening Access work. Across the 7 schools we were able to visit, we reached 1148 young people. 85% of the young people surveyed after the tour hadn’t seen live jazz music beforehand.
Wolfie, as the leader of the tour, played a crucial role in setting the tone for each session. Her leadership was able to create a relaxed yet focused atmosphere, allowing both the musicians and the students to engage with the music in a meaningful way. It was clear that the band’s ability to communicate their passion for jazz—and their genuine interest in the students’ learning—was a key part of the success of the tour.
Students also got the chance to learn about opportunities to continue their musical education. Sam French from Lancashire Music Service was able to attend some of the performances, offering students information about local jazz education programmes. This is an essential part of why First Time Jazz is so important: to make sure young people know about the opportunities available to them, whether they’re in London or the Northwest, so that we can see greater diversity in the UK jazz scene in the future.
Reflecting on the week, NYJO’s Ensembles Manager George Gatehouse summed up the experience perfectly: “Being on this tour has hands down been one of the highlights of my time with NYJO so far. It was such a joyful and inspiring experience.” The connections made, the questions asked, and the music shared will stay with everyone involved for a long time. It was a true testament to the power of jazz to unite, inspire, and bring joy to unexpected places.
We’d like to extend a huge thank you to the Victoria Wood Foundation and all our partners for their generous support. Without them, this tour wouldn’t have been possible.
