A Heritage of Big Bands

The Christchurch Big Band Festival celebrates some of our finest big band heritage at The Arts Centre, Engineering Laneway near Atiora (The Gym).

Stu Buchanan did a lot to help shape the heritage of big band music in Chch and NZ with his playing and his teaching.

Stu directed the CSIM (Christchurch School of Instrumental Music) Stage Band, one of Christchurch’s earliest young big bands at the Arts Centre in the 1980s. It ran on Saturday mornings in what is now the “Maker Workshop”.

To celebrate, we have the current 2023 CSM Big Band on site performing, (some 30 years later). What better way to launch off the heritage of big bands performances! Did I say that the event takes place on the launch pad at Altiora (The Gym) at the Arts Centre?

Continuing in heritage celebration, we also have Sideline Swing playing a number of Stu Buchanan’s classic original Big Band compositions in amongst some classic standards.

Christchurch Boy’s high school also have quite a heritage at the Arts centre. The Altiora venue used to be the Chch Boy’s High School Gym, so it will be a special nod to the past and present to see the current Chch Boy’s High Big band playing outside!

The wonderful Nelson Big band will also play a set in the afternoon to wet your appetite before they return to play that night for the Big band Boogie Ball along with Sideline Swing and the All Stars Big Band in Altiora (The Gym) at the Arts centre.

And if that’s not enough, there may be a surprise visit from the roaming Ambush Brass as they play their way through the Arts Centre!

There will be food trucks so you can eat and drink . There will be sculptures to look at - thanks to the Sculpture Festival. There will be Heritage - thanks to the Heritage Festival and the special heritage line up of big band music!

12noon CSM Big Band

12:30 Nelson Jazz Club Big Band

1:30pm Sideline Swing

2:15pm Christchurch Boy’s School High Big Band