Our Ensembles 2024
For more information about our ensembles message Matthew Barclay (President) - BarclayM4@cardiff.ac.uk or Jake Addo (Ensembles Coordinator) - addoj@cardiff.ac.uk and we will be more than happy to help.
Big Band - Katie Martin (Martink8@cardiff.ac.uk)
Cardiff University Big Band is one of the few auditioned ensembles in Jazz Society. Each year we aim to perform challenging high-quality jazz across the UK and internationally!
Some of our notable performances from the Big Band in the past have included Lord Mayor's Charity Gala at BBC Hoddinott Hall, the Montreux Jazz Festival, Lake Geneva, the North Sea Jazz Festival and televised rounds of S4C's Band Cymru 2018. In 2019/20, the band also achieved a Platinum Award at the South West Regional stage of the National Concert Band Finals.
In 2023 we went on tour to Lyon to the Vienne Jazz festival.
In Big Band, we aim to perform jazz music from all backgrounds – we are always aiming to diversify our setlists even more, to include Welsh composers and female composers as well as the well-known composers you would expect to see.
Anyone and everyone is welcome to audition for Big Band – audition information will be posted on the Instagram @cardiffunibigband near the time
Jazz Orchestra - Ioan Gromnicki (GromnickiI@cardiff.ac.uk) + Josh Burland (BurlandJ@cardiff.ac.uk)
Cardiff University Jazz Orchestra prides itself in its policy of total inclusion. The ensemble is aimed to give all musicians the chance to play jazz music in a relaxed environment, regardless of experience or performance ability. The ensemble also offers opportunities to gain experience in conducting. The Jazz Orchestra is non-auditioned, and welcome to all instruments! Want to play some jazz in a relaxed environment? Give Jazz Orchestra a go!
Cardiff University Singers - Gwenllian Howells (HowellsG13@cardiff.ac.uk) + Lucas Palanek (PalanekL@cardiff.ac.uk)
Cardiff University Singers, in collaboration with Music Society, is a mixed, non-auditioned choir open to all. Through weekly rehearsals and regular performances, Cardiff University Singers is a lively, lighthearted ensemble covering a broad range of repertoire. It is a great, relaxed environment for anyone who wants to come along, sing and have fun!
Saxophone Choir - Mia Holt (HoltM10@cardiff.ac.uk) + Sarah Mann (ManC@cardiff.ac.uk)
Cardiff University Saxophone Choir meets once a week to play a variety of music written exclusively for saxophones! Anyone who plays the sax is welcome to join this non-auditioned ensemble, regardless of ability and experience. The music we play ranges from jazz to pop genres, as well as the opportunity to play student compositions. We offer a fun and friendly atmosphere, so if you are interested please do come and join us!
Womxn's Group - Jessica Fitzsimons (FitzsimonsJ@cardiff.ac.uk)
Cardiff University Womxn’s Group is an all-female/non-binary ensemble who play an assortment of jazz music and provide a comfortable space for womxn in jazz to learn and practice skills, including improvisation and developing jazz theory. Regardless of ability or experience, this non-auditioned ensemble is open to all womxn who want to get involved and just play some cool tunes with some cool people! This ensemble is very important when it comes to re-addressing the gender disparity in the jazz world, as jazz is for all of us and cannot continue the way it is without bands like Womxn’s group!