Quality music and inclusion, for Herts and north London
The Watford Jazz Junction Festival 10-18 May 2025
Show Tickets on sale now
EDUCATION
Since we founded we have committed to education projects, including with young people locally.
To date this has included several interactive percussion workshops for 4-12 year olds, an improvisation workshop at Purcell Music School, many performance opportunities for young players and the creation of our own festival Walkestra for players of all ages and abilities to learn and play.
​​​
In 2025 we launched a series of immersive musical appreciation and improvisation workshops, initially running in two local primary schools.
During spring term at Bushey Manor in Watford and summer term at Greenfields Primary in Three Rivers, we'll be working with more than 200 children, building knowledge around the history of jazz, exploring music-making and enabling personal creative expression.
Above: The National Youth Jazz Orchestra performing at our 2022 Gala Show in the Watford Palace Theatre, under musical direction from Mark Armstrong. May 2022.
Below: 2 participants in one of our festival jazz workshops. May 2024.
OUR PROJECTS
Improvisation workshop
In May 2022 we created an improvisation workshop led by educator and percussionist George Double and supported by bassist Geoff Gascoyne, held at the Purcell Music School, for thirty 11-18 year olds.
.jpg)
Above photo: a quintet from the Purcell Music School playing at our Jazz Steps event following our workshop. May 2022.
Festival percussion & jazz workshops
We've delivered several jazz percussion and rhythm workshops, in partnership with The Music Workshop Company, at the Pump House Theatre and Arts Centre as part of our May festival each year.
Led by principal tutor Donald Gamble, more than thirty 4-12 year olds have participated on each occasion.
Above photo: members of our festival's jazz education team including principal tutor Donald Gamble (far left). May 2024.
Walkestra
In 2024 we founded the Watford Jazz Junction Walkestra, led by Orphy Robinson.
​
The group supports musicians of all ages and abilities to come together and play jazz, developing confidence in public performance and improvisation.
Above photo: members of our inaugural Walkestra during a rehearsal. April 2024.
Orphy's Jazz Train
Working with 2 local primary schools in the first half of 2025, Orphy Robinson is leading 8 workshops and 2 whole-school assemblies.
​
Music tutors working alongside Orphy include Ilario Ferrari, Camilla George, Chris Newstead and Georgina Jackson.
Above photo: Orphy leading a whole-school assembly focused on the history of jazz and introducing improvisation at Bushey Manor Primary in Watford. January 2025.