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The Big Band Theory Italy

The Big Band Theory is a faculty-student jazz ensemble based at the Liceo Musicale “Suardo” music school in Bergamo, Italy. They have organized International Jazz Day commemorations on behalf of the Liceo since 2016. Read more about their 2022 event here.


“International Jazz Day reminds us that music transcends the boundaries of spoken language as it is celebrated all over the world.”

Tell us a little about your organization’s mission
“The Big Band Theory” is the jazz group of the Liceo Musicale “Suardo” of Bergamo, since 2013 by Giovanni Abbiati (founder, trainer and arranger). Every year it celebrates the International Jazz Day with a concert-lesson for the students of the school and other concerts in the city and in the country. In 2016 and 2019 it participated in two musical exchanges with German schools (Furtwangen and Trossingen). The group has won numerous musical contests, in 2016 receiving the first prize for an important competition and playing in the awards ceremony at the headquarters of the Ministry of Education in Rome. Over 50 students have played in the band and many have continued to study jazz at university.

Why does your organization celebrate International Jazz Day?
International Jazz Day reminds us that music transcends the boundaries of spoken language as it is celebrated all over the world. And we love opening our doors to young musicians and giving them a taste of the great traditions.