DANISH YOUTH JAZZ ORCHESTRA X AALBORG YOUTH JAZZ ORCHESTRA
10/3/2026
Doors: 19:00 // Concert: 19:30 // Admission: Free
This evening, turkis sets the stage for a major double concert with Aalborg Youth Jazz Orchestra and Danish Youth Jazz Orchestra. You’ll have the chance to experience both orchestras at their best, presenting two very different and powerful concert programmes.
Read more about the orchestras and their programmes below.
Photo: Simon Bendix
AALBORG YOUTH JAZZ ORCHESTRA - EXTENDED ORCHESTRA 2026
In March 2026, Aalborg Youth Jazz Orchestra steps into new sonic landscapes with a groundbreaking project that transforms the classic big band format through an innovative fusion with electronic elements and contemporary rhythms. Inspired by the electronic universe of Germany’s Jazzrausch Bigband, AYJO collaborates with young vocalists to form a vibrant and dynamic ensemble — Extended Orchestra.
A high-energy celebration awaits as AYJO invites the audience into an experience where club culture and electronic music meet the powerful sound of the big band. With a focus on challenging traditional genre boundaries, AYJO Extended Orchestra opens the door to an experimental universe where the rich traditions of the big band merge with today’s electronic rhythms and the energy of club culture.
This initiative marks a significant step in the orchestra’s ambition to renew the role of the big band in contemporary music and to broaden its audience by opening up new musical and cultural dialogues.
Aalborg Youth Jazz Orchestra is supported by: Augustinus Foundation, Aalborg Municipality, William Demant Foundation, Danish Arts Foundation, Koda Kultur and Norlys Growth Fund.
Photo: Mathias Bak Larsen
DANISH YOUTH JAZZ ORCHESTRA - BLADT MEETS BRECKER
Experience Danish Youth Jazz Orchestra and Michael Bladt in the concert “Bladt Meets Brecker.” The orchestra joins forces with Aarhus-based Michael Bladt to celebrate the music of one of the great saxophone legends, Michael Brecker. Bladt brings more than 25 years of experience from Aarhus Jazz Orchestra (formerly Klüver Big Band) and also leads his own quintet, which has released three albums. He has performed and recorded with a wide range of acclaimed musicians and ensembles, including DR Big Band, The Danish National Entertainment Orchestra, Copenhagen Jazz Orchestra, Jørgen Emborg’s Surrounding Moods, John Scofield, Kurt Elling, Lukas Graham and many more. Alongside his performing career, Bladt teaches at MGK in Aarhus, and several of his talented students play in Danish Youth Jazz Orchestra.
Danish Youth Jazz Orchestra is an elite youth big band on the Danish jazz scene. The orchestra consists of some of the country’s most promising young talents on their way into the professional jazz environment and functions both as a high-level youth big band and a platform for talent development. Danish Youth Jazz Orchestra makes space for the wild, the quirky and the experimental — while staying rooted in tradition.
The orchestra is led by John Riddell, a conductor, composer, arranger and drummer specialising in jazz for large ensembles. For more than a decade, his professional work has focused on the artistic leadership and development of young musicians. In 2012, he founded Danish Youth Jazz Orchestra, where he continues to serve as artistic director and conductor. Riddell is also a board member of Copenhagen Youth Jazz Orchestra and regularly contributes as a guest conductor, taking part in the orchestra’s artistic planning and educational strategy.
Alongside his pedagogical work, Riddell performs as a drummer with Aarhus Jazz Orchestra, where he also arranges and regularly conducts projects. Through this work, he has collaborated with artists such as Randy Brecker, Marcus Miller, Eliane Elias, Marc Johnson, Bill Laurence, Dennis Mackrel, Curtis Stigers and Wycliffe Gordon. He also works as a guest conductor and drummer with DR Big Band, collaborating with artists including Donny McCaslin and Charlie Young III, leader of the Duke Ellington Orchestra.
Danish Youth Jazz Orchestra receives support from Spar Nord Foundation, C.A.C. Foundation, Augustinus Foundation, Danish Arts Foundation and Aarhus Municipality.