Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw

What Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw does

Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw (JOC) is a Dutch big band jazz orchestra founded in 1996 and registered as Stichting Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw, a nonprofit foundation based in Amsterdam. The orchestra serves as the resident jazz ensemble of Het Concertgebouw and operates as one of Europe's leading professional big bands, performing at premier Dutch venues including Het Concertgebouw and Bimhuis, and touring internationally to festivals such as North Sea Jazz, Sicilia Jazz Festival, and events in China and Indonesia. Its roster comprises approximately 18-20 top Dutch jazz musicians across traditional big band instrumentation (trumpets, trombones, saxophones, piano, guitar, bass, drums, percussion), under the artistic direction of Juan Martinez.

JOC's product portfolio spans live concert performances, recorded albums (including Threnody, Crossroads, The Second Time Around, Wonderful Christmastime on Blue Note), the Dutch Jazz Heritage archival concert series (in partnership with Nederlands Jazz Archief), and educational programs such as JONG JOC Bootcamp (ages 12-18), Big Band Academy, and school outreach initiatives. The orchestra also runs the Jazz & Vrijheid Festival and the biennial Big Sounds Amsterdam festival. Revenue is generated through four streams: concert ticket sales (via venue box offices and partners like Eventim and Caprera), album and merchandise sales through its webshop, individual donations via the Soulmates donor program, and structural government subsidies from Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunsten and Fonds Podiumkunsten. In July 2024, JOC became the first jazz ensemble to be included in the Dutch culturele basisinfrastructuur (basic cultural infrastructure), securing multi-year structural government support.

The organization is governed by a board (Loes Rusch, Chair; Lucien Kembel, Treasurer; Rob van Griensven; Wouter Steijn) and an advisory council (Sophie Lambo, Chair), with Jennie Duif as Managing Director and Juan Martinez as Artistic Director. The operational team consists of approximately 10 staff members covering production, marketing, fundraising, education, and digital design. JOC maintains institutional partnerships with Het Concertgebouw, Bimhuis, Nederlands Jazz Archief, NiNsee, and multiple Dutch cultural foundations (Dioraphte, Cultuurfonds, BNG Cultuurfonds), along with corporate sponsorship from Publicis Groupe. The orchestra has earned an Edison Award (2010) and a Jazzism Edison Publieksprijs nomination (2023).

Name

Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw

Legal name

Stichting Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw

Website

https://jazzorchestra.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw is an Amsterdam-based Dutch big band jazz orchestra, founded in 1996, serving as the resident ensemble of Het Concertgebouw. It performs live concerts, records albums, runs educational programs (JONG JOC, Big Band Academy), and generates revenue from ticket sales, album/merchandise sales, donor contributions, and structural government subsidies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Music / Performing Arts

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (71113), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAHAB

Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAMANAC

Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Music Education (Instrumental & Vocal)

SECONDARYMPAIAHAF

Songwriting & Composition Services (for hire)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Music & Audio (Recording, Publishing, Streaming)/Music Production Services (Studios, Producers, Session Musicians)

Keywords

• Live jazz performances
• Big band orchestra
• Jazz album recordings
• Jazz education programs
• Jazz festival production

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Concert tickets: Revenue from ticket sales at performances in Concertgebouw, Bimhuis, and touring venues across the Netherlands
2. Album and merchandise sales: Sales of CDs, vinyl records, and books through the JOC webshop. Albums include Threnody, Crossroads, Scribblin', Silk Rush, Wonderful Christmastime, The Second Time Around, The Jazz Influencers
3. Soulmate donations: Individual donor program called 'Soulmates' supporting the orchestra financially
4. Government subsidies: Structural subsidies from Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunsten and Fonds Podiumkunsten

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw (JOC) is a professional big band ensemble that delivers live jazz concert performances at major Dutch venues and festivals, with guest soloists from the Dutch and international jazz scene. The orchestra supplements concerts with album and vinyl releases sold through its own webshop, youth talent development programs (JONG JOC, Big Band Academy), educational workshops for schools, and curated festival productions such as Jazz & Vrijheid and Big Sounds Amsterdam.

Product overview

Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw (JOC) is a performing arts organization offering live jazz concerts as its core product, supplemented by education programs, album releases, and festivals. The main JOC big band performs at the Concertgebouw and internationally, while JONG JOC and its Bootcamp develop young jazz talent. Educational offerings include Improshop for secondary schools and Retteketet for primary schools. The Dutch Jazz Heritage series reconstructs legendary concerts with themed programs and podcasts. Annual festivals include Jazz & Vrijheid and Big Sounds Amsterdam. JOC also releases albums on CD and vinyl through its webshop, including Threnody, Crossroads, The Jazz Influencers, and Wonderful Christmastime with Trijntje Oosterhuis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• JONG JOC: Youth talent development program - a big band for young musicians aged 12-18 featuring annual bootcamp and performances
• JOC Productions
• Dutch Jazz Heritage
• Jazz & Vrijheid Festival
• Soulmates

Products and services

• JOC Big Band Live Concert Performances The core professional big band jazz ensemble performing live concerts at Het Concertgebouw, Bimhuis, North Sea Jazz Festival, and touring venues across the Netherlands and internationally. Sold via ticket sales through venue box offices and partners such as Eventim and Caprera.
• JONG JOC Bootcamp Annual intensive bootcamp program for young musicians aged 12-18 providing big band training, with annual intake selection and a culminating final concert.
• JONG JOC Youth Big Band Youth big band ensemble of talented musicians aged 12-18 who completed the bootcamp, performing at various venues including as opening acts for the main JOC orchestra.
• JOC Big Band Academy Annual program for 8 conservatory students to perform with the JOC under mentorship of professional musicians, focusing on specific jazz educators or styles.
• Improshop (VO) Educational workshop for secondary school students teaching jazz improvisation skills, including a 40-minute workshop with JOC musicians and school concert visits.
• Retteketet, wat is toch eigenlijk een trompet? (PO) Educational program for primary school students introducing big band instruments, jazz history, and swing through interactive music lessons.
• Dutch Jazz Heritage Concert Series Concert series reconstructing legendary jazz performances from the 1950s-60s at the Concertgebouw, featuring themed programs on artists like Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, and Gerry Mulligan, accompanied by the Jazz at the Concertgebouw podcast.
• Jazz & Vrijheid Festival Annual festival celebrating the African roots of jazz and honoring Surinamese and Curaçaoan music cultures, organized in collaboration with NiNsee and DeLaMar. First held in 2023.
• Big Sounds Amsterdam Biennial festival co-organized with Amsterdam venues Concertgebouw, BIMHUIS, Paradiso, Meervaart, and Conservatorium van Amsterdam, showcasing large ensemble music and international developments in big bands and orchestras.
• JOC gaat Vreemd Collaboration project in which JOC works with contemporary artists from various genres to create big band arrangements of their music, resulting in live performances.
• JOC Productions Production arm creating and presenting special concert programs and artistic collaborations.
• Soulmates Donor Program Individual donor program through which supporters contribute financially to the orchestra.
• JOC Webshop Online store selling JOC albums on CD and vinyl as well as publications, hosted at jazzorchestra.nl/webshop.
• Threnody Album Album composed by Jim McNeely, JOC's 2021 Composer in Residence, released as a CD and limited edition double vinyl. Nominated for the 2023 Jazzism Edison Publieksprijs.
• Crossroads Album Album featuring compositions by six JOC members arranged by international arrangers including Michael Abene and Ed Partyka, released as a CD and double vinyl.
• The Second Time Around Album Album released in 2025 featuring Fay Claassen, Anna Serierse & Esther Van Hees performing music of Oliver Nelson with JOC, released as CD and vinyl for the orchestra's 30th anniversary.
• Wonderful Christmastime Album Christmas album featuring Trijntje Oosterhuis with big band arrangements of holiday classics, released on the Blue Note label.
• The Jazz Influencers Albums (Vol. 1 & 2) Two-volume jazz album series featuring new compositions and arrangements from prominent young musicians including Benjamin Herman, Ella Zirina, and Jesse van Ruller.
• I Didn't Know What Time It Was Album Album featuring organist Dr. Lonnie Smith performing with JOC, recorded live at Bimhuis.
• Love's in Need of Love Today Album Direct-to-disc live album featuring Trijntje Oosterhuis covering Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life, recorded at Artone Studio.
• De Band Die De Richtingenstrijd Doorbrak Book Publication chronicling the history of JOC from its founding to present day, written by Jeroen de Valk with illustrations by Sam Drukker, priced at €7.95.
• Jazz at the Concertgebouw Podcast Podcast series on Spotify diving into jazz legends who performed at the Concertgebouw in the 1950s-60s, hosted by Bert Vuijsje and Frank Jochemsen.

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Het ConcertgebouwcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremier Amsterdam concert hall - JOC serves as resident jazz orchestra, performs regularly in the venue
• BimhuiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremier Dutch jazz venue in Amsterdam - JOC had monthly residency 1996-2014
• Nederlands Jazz ArchiefcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch Jazz Archive - collaborative partner for Dutch Jazz Heritage series, providing archival materials and research
• NiNseemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational institute for Dutch slavery history - collaborative partner for Jazz & Vrijheid Festival
• Publicis GroupeminorOthersMarketing and communication services sponsor
• Stichting Nieuwe HeldenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural organization collaborating on JOC gaat Vreemd project in Limburg
• Blue NotemajorOthersPrestigious jazz label - released Wonderful Christmastime album with Trijntje Oosterhuis

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Maria Schneider Orchestra: Independent American big band led by composer Maria Schneider, comparable in focus on commissioned original big-band repertoire, Grammy-recognized recordings, and audience-development through catalog.
• Orchestre National de Jazz: French national jazz orchestra with state funding, rotating artistic direction, commissioned works, and educational programs—structurally parallel as a publicly-funded national big band.
• Berlin Radio Jazz Orchestra (rbb Bigband): German public-broadcaster big band with comparable scale, public funding model, and repertoire spanning jazz, funk, and contemporary composition.
• Danish Radio Big Band: Public broadcaster big band with similar institutional backing, professional musicians, international soloists, and recorded catalog—directly comparable as a publicly-funded European big band.
• Metropole Orkest: Dutch hybrid jazz-pop orchestra also based in the Netherlands with public funding, large-ensemble format, and crossover programming—sharing JOC's domestic institutional context and competing for the same funding pool and audiences.
• Brussels Jazz Orchestra: Belgian big band comparable in scale and mission, with public funding, large-ensemble jazz programming, international guest artists, and educational outreach. Direct competitor in the Benelux institutional big-band space.
• BBC Big Band: British public-broadcaster big band with parallel structure: public funding, resident programming, recordings, and international guest artists across the jazz and contemporary repertoire.
• Swedish Radio Jazz Group (SRJ): Swedish public-broadcaster jazz ensemble with similar institutional funding, original-commissioning model, and international guest soloists—directly comparable European institutional big band.
• Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra: American big band led by Wynton Marsalis with institutional residence (Jazz at Lincoln Center), educational programming, recordings, and international touring—the global benchmark for institutional big-band operations.
• WDR Big Band: German public broadcaster big band based in Cologne, structurally similar to JOC as a European institutional big band with government backing, resident programming, international collaborations, and youth development programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/jazzorchestra
• Instagraminstagram.com/jazzorchestra
• Xx.com/jazzorchestra
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jazz-orchestra-of-the-concertgebouw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw