The Hallenstadion and the Zurich Jazz Orchestra: Solidarity among Zurich cultural institutions brings music back to the Hallenstadion.

The Zurich Jazz Orchestra consists of 18 musicians, all of them professionals with soloist quality, and has been playing in almost the same line-up since 2000. It skilfully varies between mainstream and avant-garde, orchestral big-band sound and explosive improvisations by the soloists. A mixture that carries you away.

Zurich’s largest jazz ensemble has a hard time in times of distance rules, occupancy density and reference values. Normally the Zurich Jazz Orchestra performs in concert venues such as the Jazzclub Moods or the Musikklub Mehrspur in the Toni area, so it doesn’t enjoy big stages that would still allow a bit of leeway. But for the 18 musicians, with the currently valid distance rules of two meters, it is too narrow on all these stages. On March 6th, the ensemble played together for the last time, since then it has not been possible to rehearse, and concerts are out of the question at the moment.

The Hallenstadion Zurich has a similar situation. As Switzerland’s largest indoor event location, the Hallenstadion was effectively closed at the end of February due to measures taken by the Swiss government and will probably be the last institution to be allowed to resume normal operations. Most of the planned events were postponed or even cancelled. Therefore the team of the Hallenstadion is very happy that the ZJO will bring “life” back into the arena, at least for a few hours.

The current crisis has created such an unusual partnership. The biggest on the pitch helps the smallest! The Zurich Jazz Orchestra will find shelter in the Hallenstadion and play for the first time on July 3 (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) in the empty hall for rehearsals. Even a round of beer will be served to make the musicians feel at home in Oerlikon.

We will be happy to answer any questions you may have and would be delighted if you would come to the Hallenstadion on 3 July. Of course, we will also have time on this occasion to answer any questions you may have.

Media release as PDF

Photographs by Pablo Faccinetto

Film by Pablo Faccinetto: