Big Band The "
Big Band an der TU Clausthal e.V." was set up in the 2017/18 winter semester as a non-profit organization. The band was registered as a
students' association at TU Clausthal. The 30 musicians are dedicated to
jazz,
swing,
funk and pop music .
Rehearsals of the "groovING TUC Big Band" named band are held every Friday during the whole year interrupted only by short summer and winter breaks. The band has own equipment like
stage piano,
bass saxophone,
baritone saxophone,
tenor saxophone,
alto saxophone,
soprano saxophone,
bass trombone,
tenor trombone, trumpet,
flugelhorn, bass guitar with
amplifier, electric guitars with
amplifiers,
electronic drum set,
acoustic drum set,
sound reinforcement system, and
music stands which can be used by foreign students, students without own
musical instruments, and for gigs. The
band leader Domenic Eggers, who has a teaching assignment at TU Clausthal, rehearses with the band classical jazz as well as jazzy pop pieces. The program developed in the rehearsals is presented in a concert at the end of each
semester, to which admission is free and where only
donations for the band are requested. Currently, about two-thirds of the band members are from the university (including students from abroad) and one-third are from the region. In 2018 the Big Band set up a
smaller ensemble, the swingING TUC
Jazz Combo, of four to eight members of the Big Band playing in variable instrumentation. The Jazz Combo regularly practices its own literature, mainly
blues but also pop songs, right before the Big Band rehearsal. The swingING TUC Jazz Combo had its first gig in October 2018 at a TU Clausthal event. Since that time it had several performances at regional events. Since 2021, the big band has organised an annual big band workshop with renowned jazz greats, in which external musicians can also participate. So far, these have included Frank Nowicky, Lutz Krajenski, Achim Kück and Monika Roscher. A
vocal ensemble to support the band was also formed by the Big Band and has been rehearsing since March 2020 under the direction of jazz vocal teacher Chiara Raimondi until she left the ensemble in summer 2021 to study in Italy.
Rock, pop and jazz choir at Clausthal University of Technology In September 2021, the Big Band's vocal ensemble was expanded into the Clausthal University of Technology's Rock, Pop and Jazz Choir as a subdivision of the Big Band, after jazz singing teacher Chiara Raimondi left the vocal ensemble. More than 20 people responded to the big band's call to found the choir on 4 September 2021. After its foundation, the choir quickly grew to 35 members thanks to new members from the university and the region. The choir is directed by André Wenauer from Hattorf am Harz and rehearses every Monday in the early evening. Under the name 'singING TUC Vocals', the modern choir rehearses music titles from the rock, pop and jazz genres and provides vocal support for the big band on vocal titles. == Notable faculty and alumni ==