Bundesjazzorchester (BuJazzO) — Bewerbung für die Generation 2027/28
Offered by Deutscher Musikrat (Bundesjazzorchester)
Who can apply
Talented young jazz musicians: trumpet, trombone, saxophone, rhythm section, and singers for the vocal ensemble. You must have your main residence in Germany, or be a German citizen living abroad. Age limit at the January 2027 audition: instrumentalists up to 22, singers up to 24, measured on the audition date. Applications close 3 November 2026 at 08:00 and are made online with two to three unedited phone videos, one of them played along to a professional-level track from the free WDR Big Band Play Along app. A jury shortlists for the audition on 6-8 January 2027 at HfMT Koeln, where a piano, bass and drums trio is provided. Membership lasts a maximum of two years.
About this opportunity
Germany's national youth jazz orchestra, BuJazzO, is recruiting its next two-year generation, running 2027 and 2028. Members get paid rehearsal phases, concerts and tours alongside well-known jazz artists and conductors, plus structured sessions on musical and career development; it's a performance and training opportunity rather than a cash grant.
You can apply if you live in Germany, or are a German citizen living abroad. At the January 2027 audition, instrumentalists must be 22 or younger and singers 24 or younger. The orchestra is looking for players on trumpet, trombone, saxophone and in the rhythm section, plus singers for its vocal ensemble.
Getting in is a two-stage process. First, an online application with two or three unedited phone videos: at least one as a soloist, and for instrumentalists, one performed along with a track from the free WDR Big Band Play Along app at professional level, with that part muted. Studio or concert recordings aren't accepted. Shortlisted applicants then audition in Cologne from 6 to 8 January 2027, where a backing trio is provided.
The published material doesn't mention an application fee, but membership itself isn't free: members pay roughly EUR 200 per working phase (at least two phases a year), while travel to the audition is at the applicant's own expense. In return, musicians receive an EUR 45 per-concert allowance, reimbursed travel to activities, and paid accommodation. Applications close 3 November 2026 at 08:00.
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Frequently asked questions
- When is the deadline for Bundesjazzorchester (BuJazzO) — Bewerbung für die Generation 2027/28?
- The current deadline is November 3, 2026.
- Who offers Bundesjazzorchester (BuJazzO) — Bewerbung für die Generation 2027/28?
- Deutscher Musikrat (Bundesjazzorchester) runs it, from Germany.
- What funding or support does Bundesjazzorchester (BuJazzO) — Bewerbung für die Generation 2027/28 offer?
- Not a grant, and it costs money to take part: members pay a participation fee of EUR 200 per working phase, due before each phase begins and subject to change, with at least two phases a year. Cancelling within 14 days of a phase costs half the fee, later the full fee. Travel to the January audition is at the applicant own expense. Musicians play without a fee but receive EUR 45 per concert as an expense allowance, with travel reimbursed under the federal travel-costs act, per-diems paid, and accommodation booked and paid by the Deutscher Musikrat. The orchestra states that cost should stop nobody applying and asks anyone who cannot pay to contact the project office in confidence.
- Who can apply for Bundesjazzorchester (BuJazzO) — Bewerbung für die Generation 2027/28?
- Talented young jazz musicians: trumpet, trombone, saxophone, rhythm section, and singers for the vocal ensemble. You must have your main residence in Germany, or be a German citizen living abroad. Age limit at the January 2027 audition: instrumentalists up to 22, singers up to 24, measured on the audition date. Applications close 3 November 2026 at 08:00 and are made online with two to three unedited phone videos, one of them played along to a professional-level track from the free WDR Big Band Play Along app. A jury shortlists for the audition on 6-8 January 2027 at HfMT Koeln, where a piano, bass and drums trio is provided. Membership lasts a maximum of two years.
- How do I apply for Bundesjazzorchester (BuJazzO) — Bewerbung für die Generation 2027/28?
- You apply on the funder's own site. The link is on this page: with a free GrantGigs account for deadlines in the next 30 days, or with Pro for later ones. If applications are new to you, our guide on how to apply for music grants walks through the whole process. Read the guide →
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Bundesjazzorchester (BuJazzO) — Bewerbung für die Generation 2027/28