Honorary conductor

Jiggs Whigham is closely associated with the Bundesjazzorchester as artistic director, lecturer and mentor. Together with Niels Klein, he led the ensemble from 2011 to 2020. In 2019, Jiggs Whigham climbed the next rung on the career ladder to the highest position the Bujazzo has to offer: He was appointed Honorary Conductor of the Bundesjazzorchester.

Jiggs Whigham was solo trombonist in Stan Kenton's legendary big band. As professor and head of the jazz department at the Cologne University of Music, he did pioneering work from 1979 onwards. From 1995 to 2000, he was conductor and artistic director of the RIAS Big Band Berlin and launched various band projects with colleagues such as Albert Mangelsdorff and Peter Herbolzheimer. Jiggs Whigham is currently active worldwide as a soloist and guest professor. He was conductor of the BBC Big Band in England and is artistic director of the Berlin Jazz Orchestra and musical director of the Brandenburg State Youth Jazz Orchestra.