The Nu Civilisation Orchestra is the new name of the Tomorrow's Warriors Jazz Orchestra, a fully professional 16 piece orchestra comprising past and present members of the Tomorrow's Warriors artist development programme. 

Tomorrow’s Warriors Artistic Director Gary Crosby OBE said, ‘this is our response to feedback from promoters and the public who were not fully aware of our orchestra’s depth of quality and professional status. It is also to avoid any confusion with other Tomorrow’s Warriors lineups, such as the Yamaha Music Experience Award-winning Tomorrow’s Warriors Biggish Band and the Tomorrow’s Warriors Youth Orchestra’.

In Autumn 2011, the Nu Civilisation Orchestra first performed Firebird, a new programme of work exploring musical paths that converge at the crossroads of jazz and classical music, where Charlie Parker meets Igor Stravinsky, Wayne Shorter meets Jean Sibelius and Steve Williamson meets Arnold Schoenberg. 

Firebird features a remodeled version of Stravinsky's Ebony Concerto (originally commissioned by jazz clarinetist, Woody Herman in 1946). The Nu Civilisation Jazz Orchestra also perform Peter Edwards' new piece, Blues Ostinata, along with his arrangement of British jazz composer Steve Williamson's How High The Bird, Maenads Suite by Binker Golding and other creations.

The premiere of Firebird was commissioned by Arts Council England to launch the Creative Case Symposium at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester on 12 September 2011. The first public performance was at Firth Hall, Sheffield on 11 October 2011, and  the next will be at the Purcell Room, Southbank Centre on March 3 and at Turner Sims Concert Hall, Southampton on 28 April.

Nu Civilisation Orchestra
Gary Crosby: artistic director, Peter Edwards: musical director