Get To Know: The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra

The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra started as an offshoot of the classical orchestra in 1987. For the first four years of its existence, the band played under the “Classical Jazz” banner. The Jazz at Lincoln Center was incorporated as an official department at Lincoln Center in 1991. During this first year, the Jazz produced concerts across New York City. By its second year, it had its own radio series on NPR. By its fifth year, it was touring internationally in France, Austria, Italy, Turkey, Norway, Spain, Germany, and Finland.

In 1996, JALC was inducted as new constituent into the Lincoln Center. It marked the first new constituent under the Lincoln Center umbrella since the The School of American Ballet in 1987. As an official constituent of Lincoln center, the Jazz began construction on performance spaces specifically designed for jazz music. The 100,000 square foot “House of Swing” finished construction in 2004. It included three performance space: The Rose Theater, The Appel Room, Dizzy’s Club. The Rose Theater (pictured) serves as the mainstage for Jazz performers. It was constructed by famed architect Rafael Viñoly following a capital campaign of $131million.