The Williamsport area is rich with jazz musicians, artists, and teachers and, as a vehicle to showcase the local talent, the Williamsport City Jazz Orchestra (WCJO) was established. 2026 marks the 15th anniversary of the WCJO, whose members include alumni of prestigious ensembles like the Glenn Miller Big Band, Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, and Buddy Rich Band. The group performs concerts throughout the year that deliver a vibrant mix of big band classics and timeless favorites to fresh and lesser-known works.

The vision of the group is to provide the opportunity for local professionals to play jazz standards, contemporary music, and big band classics to enthusiastic audiences, and to nurture an appreciation of jazz music in future generations of musicians and audiences. In addition to the popular annual Holiday Jazz concerts, the orchestra presents the annual WCJO Jazz Fest, offering performance and educational opportunities to more than 160 students in our region. The WCJO also annually presents a nationally renowned guest artist concert as well as several other free concerts throughout the year.