North STAR Big Band is an intensive course of the NordPuls network, focusing on Big band, the representative collective in jazz music.

10-14 May, 2023
The third project session was hosted by the Klaipėda Faculty of the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. The project coordinator was lecturer Kęstutis Sova (Lithuania) and band leader well known musician and professor Joakim Milder (Sweden).
20 students from Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Sweden took part in NORTH STAR. Lectures and workshops were given by Kathrine Windfeld (Denmark), Joakim Milder and Kęstutis Sova. Intensive course ended with two concerts: at Klaipėda Faculty concert hall (May 13) and Šilutė Centre of culture and entertainment (May 14).

Watch the concert HERE

2-6 May, 2022
During the second session, 18 students from Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, Denmark and Estonia got the opportunity to participate in a high level international big band under the guidance of acclaimed teaching staff who are simultaneously active musicians. Through practical music-making they enhanced their skills in interpretation and improvisation.

The artistic leader of the bigband and the project was Jens Christian Jensen (RAMA, Denmark)

April 2021
Due to the pandemic, the format of the first session had to redefined. Instead of an project in Tallinn, the consortium organised four webinars lead by teaching staff members who are simultaneously acclaimed big band composers and musicians.

28 April: Peter Jensen (DK) the webinar is available here
21 April: Joakim Milder (SE) - the webinar is available here
14 April: Kathrine Windfeld (DK) - the webinar is available here
7 April: Jens Christian Jensen (DK) - the webinar is available here

Project partners
Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
Latvian Academy of Music
Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre
Royal Academy of Music Aarhus
Royal College of Music in Stockholm