Jazz Education

Following the historical perspective outlined in the first symposium, the second installment of the series organized by the Department of Music Culture and Education at the Polish University Abroad (PUNO) in London will turn its focus to the contemporary challenges and transformations in jazz education.

The rapid pace of digital technology development is approaching the limits of social assimilation, and is often perceived less as progress than as a form of shock. Within globalized musical environments, attitudes are divided: some embrace and explore new tools with enthusiasm, others adopt them cautiously and without great conviction, while still others resist them outright.

Within the community of jazz musicians and educators, the discourse is increasingly shifting from a discussion of challenges to one of a paradigm shift. The changes being imposed are redefining not only modes of teaching, but also the very understanding of jazz as an art form.

Emerging models of education require greater flexibility, interdisciplinarity, and a creative engagement with tradition. Contemporary technological tools open unprecedented opportunities for both individual and collective music-making, while simultaneously raising questions regarding the authenticity of artistic experience, the cultivation of musical perception, and even the quality of the relationship between creator and audience.

In its cyclical format, the symposium serves as a platform for the latest reflections and debates on jazz education. The forthcoming edition will address, in particular, the present search for balance between heritage and innovation, as well as strategies for effective teaching and creative practice in jazz in the twenty-first century. The concluding discussion, following a series of brief presentations, will constitute the central element of the event. To this conversation we warmly invite not only academically engaged scholars, but also practitioners—teachers active both privately and within institutions—whose voices provide an indispensable source of knowledge and guidance.

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