Students gain experience and insight by learning and performing arrangements by legendary jazz big band composers such as Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus and Count Basie.
The large ensemble also focuses on more modern material and draws on music from all over the world including Bulgaria, Africa and Asia. We strive to give students in the CPSM big band a different experience than they would get in their public school program.
We often encourage student conducting as well as large group free improvisation and the performance of student compositions.