JM Summer Tour 2025

The Best of Metropole!

Under the inspiring leadership of Jochen Neuffer, Jong Metropole will focus on The Best of Metropole in the summer of 2025!

Compared to classical music, jazz is a young genre. Although there isn’t a specific day that jazz was born, we know that the style developed from the 1800s. However, the first trace of a jazz recording dates back to February 26, 1917, when five members of the 'Original Dixieland Jass Band' made a recording in a studio in New York. Jazz was born and was able to spread through sound recordings. Besides the "combo culture" (smaller ensembles), Big Bands were also active. We all know the bands of Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller, and later the amazing sound of Duke Ellington’s band. These were larger ensembles that produced new and different sounds.

Big Band music also developed more symphonically, with classical woodwinds and strings being added. Symphonic jazz developed through figures such as Duke Ellington, but also through George Gershwin, and later Leonard Bernstein and Gil Evans. A next generation continued this trend: Bob Brookmeyer, Bill Dobbins, Michael Abene, Jim McNeely, Maria Schneider, Vince Mendoza, and others.

The Metropole Orchestra had the honor of working with all of the aforementioned composers and thus has a remarkable body of work in its archive. Beautiful, intelligent, high-level, yet also swinging and entertaining music. There are even many evenings to be filled with this repertoire—such is the treasure trove! What could be more beautiful than performing this repertoire in the anniversary season of Jong Metropole?

Auditions	These auditions are for the Jong Metropole edition for the year 2025, including the Fall Tour 2025. Musicians will participate in both projects, in the summer and the fall. No separate auditions will be held for the Fall Tour. You can register for auditions until March 3, 2025. The auditions will take place on March 31 and April 1, 2, and 3, 2025, at the Muziekcentrum van de Omroep in Hilversum. For general information about auditions, visit the Audition Info page.
Rehearsals and Concerts:	July 28 – August 8, 2025 Also, check our concert page for the latest concert information.
Conductor:	Jochen Neuffer
Works:	Symphonic jazz arrangements by Bob Brookmeyer, Bill Dobbins, Michael Abene, Jim McNeely, Maria Schneider, Vince Mendoza, and others. The program will also feature the world premiere of a new composition by Suzan Veneman, who will write this piece for Jong Metropole as the winner of the 2024 Rogier van Otterloo Award.
Instrumentation	Violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute, oboe, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, bass trombone, horn, harp, percussion (classical section percussionists; timpani, xylophone, marimba), piano/keys, guitar (acoustic and electric), drums, bass guitar, and (jazz) double bass.