The conference 'Aesthetics in Jazz in the 21st Century'
Aesthetics
The words 'aesthetics' and 'jazz' are seldom used in one sentence. Nevertheless, aesthetics judgements are made all the time and on all levels in jazz. Jazz musicians make aesthetic artistic choices while playing, while improvising. The audience makes judgements according to their tastes while hearing and seeing jazz musicians perform. Some jazz critics use stars rating in the reviews they write. Is jazz entertainment or art music? Should jazz be subsidized by public governments or by commercial companies? How do the judgements in jazz competition and prizes work?
Conference
At the KUG, the 'Kunst Universität Graz' in Austria, the 'Institute for Aesthetics in Music' and the 'Institute for Jazz Research' organize several conferences per year as part of their mission. The IASJ, the International Association of Schools of Jazz, organizes bi-annual conferences to generate content for the 'IASJ Journal of Applied Jazz Research'. In the spring of 2023 the forces were joined. As a result, the conference 'Aesthetics in Jazz in the 21st Century' took place on 10 and 11 November 2023.
Organizers
Andreas Dorschel: Institute of Aesthetics of Music, Graz, Austria
André Doehring: Institute for Jazz Research, Graz, Austria
Kurt Ellenberger: Grand Valley State University, USA
Ed Partyka: Jazz Institute, Graz, Austria
Wouter Turkenburg: IASJ, Leiden, The Netherlands
Strands
The call for papers covered six strands, six angles from which aesthetics in jazz can be approached. The description of the strand can be found here. Out of the proposals, the program committee selected the presenters. Their names are to be found in the program.