The ERIOS JUNIOR JAZZ ORCHESTRA was founded in April 2018 by its Director, Prof. Mario Biasio, President of the Cultural Association ‘Nuovi Amici del Jazz’ (New Jazz Friends), together with Prof. Stefano Solani and Angelo Rolando. The organization benefitted also thanks to the key involvement of Mrs. Daniela Berera, President of the Cultural Association ‘Progetto Erios’, and the generous support of the Vigliano Biellese town council. After just a year of activity the EJJO has already played several critically acclaimed concerts. One in particular - the concert of 27th October 2018 at the Erios Theater in Vigliano Biellese – stands out. The band shared the bill with the prestigious Sant'Andreu Jazz Band from Barcelona, directed by Maestro Joan Chamorro, in a twin concert involving the two youth organizations.
In September 2019 the EJJO was invited to the 6th Jazzing in Barcelona where it performed with great success.
In October 2019, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the death of Italian TV personality Mike Bongiorno, the Bongiorno family invited the EJJO to Montecarlo for the inauguration of the Mike Bongiorno Cultural Association of Montecarlo, in the presence of His Serene Highness Albert II.
The EJJO was established with the educational intent of bringing young musicians together to play for their peers, thus forming a new audience, and the audience of the future. The idea is that by actually playing onstage, and through participation and by engaging in activities and initiatives in schools, such as musical instrument presentations, musical animations, seminars and workshops, youngsters will be stimulated to approach the world of music.
The ultimate aim of the activities of the Erios Jazz Academy is the creation an orchestral and group jazz school based in Villa Comotto in Vigliano Biellese. Thanks to the generous involvement of the town council, the hope is to be able to welcome youngsters and offer them a full and serious musical education, with all the associated practices and studies, up to and beyond when individuals might make the decision to make music a career. This series of coordinated initiatives constitute a genuinely productive cultural ‘chain’ that not only facilitates the cultural growth of the area and its inhabitants, but also the promotion of shareable values and the creation of re-investable cultural wealth.
The EJJO staff comprises around 25 boys and girls (the number is growing) aged between 7 and 20 who share the musical roles of the ‘classic’ line-up of the classic Big Band line-up of 5 saxes, 4 trombones, 4 trumpets, and rhythm section; double bass, guitar, piano and drums.
