Williamsport City Jazz Orchestra

Who are we?

The Williamsport area is rich with professional jazz musicians, artists, and teachers, and as a vehicle to showcase our local talent, the WCJO was founded as a 501(c)(3) in 2011. The mission of the WCJO is to present concerts in and around Williamsport and to provide music and education opportunities for everyone who appreciates the role of music in enriching our lives and our community. Our orchestra members include alumni of the Glenn Miller Big Band, the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, the Buddy Rich Band, and many other renowned jazz ensembles.

As educators, WCJO provides school clinics with orchestra members, side-by-side performance opportunities for local student musicians, and the provision of phenomenal musicians to participate in regional school workshops. 

What do we do?

The WCJO has remained true to its original intent: to educate and to entertain. We present an exciting variety of big band tunes at our concerts, from the popular and familiar to the obscure and new. We perform great jazz music and our performances of this uniquely American art form are sure to appeal to all.

As many of our musicians are teachers as well as talented performers, we are passionate in sharing jazz education through collaborations with school districts, colleges, and universities in our region. Our concert programming, clinics, workshops, and performance opportunities all fulfill the vision: to work with area students and facilitate a greater opportunity for them to experience, perform, and understand the art of jazz, improvisation, and musicianship. Giving students an opportunity to understand the broader implications of working in a professional environment is also a goal.

In addition to our popular annual Holiday Jazz concert and the annual Jazz Fest, the WCJO performs several other concerts throughout the year. A spring concert features guest artists and education workshops for students. We present several free concerts for the public, and all concerts are free for students to attend.

Overall, we seek to guarantee the future of live music in our community, as music plays such a significant role in developing creative, intelligent minds and strengthening communities.

How can your donation help directly?

To continue presenting our annual Jazz Fest and expand our programming, we rely on funding from sponsorships, grants, and donations. We can continue to fulfill our mission with support from generous donors like you!