What do you get when you combine a big band with jazz and pop music? The answer is Party Big Band.

NOTE! Free for students and youth under 16. Free entry is provided at the door as long as seats are available.

Aalborg Youth Jazz Orchestra (AYJO) explores the party music culture among young people, testing whether a live big band can compete with a DJ on the dance floor. This project merges jazz and pop traditions to see what happens when these genres collide. Through collaboration with renowned conductor, trombonist, and arranger Nikolai Bøgelund, AYJO will have the opportunity to develop their musical skills and creativity.

Nikolai Bøgelund has conducted for Aarhus Jazz Orchestra, DR Big Band, Aalborg Symphony Orchestra, Nordkraft Big Band, and performed with artists like Lukas Graham, Martin Brygmann, TV-2, LOC, Medina, Alberte, Søs Fenger, and many others. His experience has made him a highly respected musician, arranger, and conductor across Europe.

With Bøgelund’s guidance, the orchestra is uniquely positioned to delve into the jazz and pop traditions, creating a new experience for listeners by blending a large ensemble with pop music. The tonal experience transforms as the big band interprets pop songs typically crafted for smaller ensembles. This project challenges both the conventions of the big band sound and the boundaries of pop music.

Conductor, Nikolai Bøgelund Nikolai Bøgelund, trombonist, arranger, bandleader, and more, is deeply passionate about music and all its facets. He radiates dedication and speaks enthusiastically about the many musical challenges he embraces. "I enjoy it all. Whether I’m part of an accordion orchestra at the smoking shed in Juelsminde, conducting or performing in a big band, playing with Lukas Graham and Rusty Trombones, working with Kansas City Stompers, or performing at parties," he shares.

Aalborg Youth Jazz Orchestra Founded in 2021 by Anton Langdahl, Aalborg Youth Jazz Orchestra (AYJO) is North Jutland’s newly established youth big band, serving as an elite youth big band and talent development base for musicians in the region. The orchestra mainly comprises young musicians from Aalborg and surrounding music programs, creating a space for players of different ages and backgrounds to come together.

This project offers young musicians an exceptional opportunity to engage in high-level big band music. With 18 public concerts annually across 5 projects at various schools, music academies, and venues, the orchestra reaches a predominantly young audience, significantly contributing to the national music scene.

AYJO operates under JAZZ9TUS and is led, managed, and conducted by Anton Langdahl, in partnership with the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus and MGK NORD. Each year, the 19 positions in the orchestra are open to young musicians aged 18–25 through an "open call" audition process.

In addition to the aforementioned partners, AYJO is supported by the Spar Nord Foundation, Region North Jutland, William Demant Foundation, and Aalborg Municipality.