The Stellenbosch University Jazz Band (SUJB), founded by Felicia Lesch, is one of the flagship ensembles of the Certificate Programme, which was established to equip members of the broader community with the skills needed to read music and play an instrument at a level that enables entry into a BMus or Diploma programme at tertiary level. Since its inception, the SUJB has led the way for jazz at the Konservatorium, developing into a vibrant platform for student performance, collaboration, and artistic growth.
The SUJB gave its first performance as an official university jazz ensemble at the Endler Hall in 2009, receiving resounding acclaim. Over the years, the band has performed at the Cape Town Jazz Festival at the Baxter Theatre, the National Youth Jazz Festival, the Oude Libertas Theatre in Stellenbosch, and has presented fundraising concerts for Bethesda Hospice in George and the Stellenbosch Work Centre, an NPO supporting physically challenged persons.
In 2011, the ensemble performed live on Radio Good Hope during the Nigel Pierce Show and at the opening ceremony of the Association of African Universities (AAU), hosted by Stellenbosch University. In 2012, the SUJB won the National Ensemble Competition, securing both their category and the overall competition.
Under the longstanding leadership of Felicia Lesch, the SUJB built a reputation for dynamic, energetic performances and has shared the stage with celebrated artists such as Jannie Moolman, Gloria Bosman, Louis Loock, PJ Powers, Corlea Botha, Amanda Strydom, Sibongile Khumalo, and Tete Mbambisa. In 2018, the band received a Fiesta Award for their Woordfees concert at Spier with Judith Sephuma, Gloria Bosman and Timothy Moloi, winning in the category for Best Open Air Performance.
In 2024, following the retirement of Felicia Lesch, Pascal Haas took over as conductor of the SUJB. Alongside pianist and composer Ramon Alexander, this new artistic leadership has expanded the SUJB’s collaborative footprint: in 2024, the band performed for the first time with the UCT Big Band; in 2025, they shared the stage with Cape jazz icon Hilton Schilder, performing his original music arranged for big band for the first time; and later that same year, the ensemble collaborated with Bheki Xhosa, the Konservatorium’s first Jazz Artist in Residence.
Today, the SUJB continues to play a leading role in shaping jazz at Stellenbosch University, fostering creative excellence and community engagement at every performance.
