Jazz Outreach Initiative launched the Las Vegas Youth Jazz Orchestra in fall 2019 to present a groundbreaking opportunity for talented students from diverse backgrounds to break school boundaries across Southern Nevada and explore, learn, and play jazz!

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The Las Vegas Youth Jazz Orchestra is directed by local master trumpeter, composer, arranger, Mr. Gary Gordell.  Mr. Cordell is a co-founder of JOI and is the Vice President of Education and Programming. 

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LVYJO Members will enjoy performing masterworks from both historic and contemporary composers. Members will learn about the music many times from the actual composers, arrangers, and band leaders themselves. Masterclasses and clinics have included luminaries such as  Boris Kozlov (Dir. Mingus Big Band), Scotty Barnhart (Count Basie Orchestra Band Leader), Marcus Printup, Camille Thurman, Vincent Gardner, Julius Tolentino, Sherrie Maricle, Wynton Marsalis, Veronica Swift, and many more!  Students also benefit from weekly Jazz Language and Jazz Combo classes included with tuition. And of course, the LVYJO will perform in public as a cultural ambassador for Las Vegas.

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Students graduating high school who have been members of the LVYJO are attending prestigious jazz schools such as The Julliard School, USC, Michigan State, Berklee School of Music, UNLV, Peabody, and other universities.

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This band is open to all middle school and high school students. To participate in the LVYJO, students must be a member of their school’s jazz band program if their school has one. Open to all instruments - including strings and vocalists.