Jazz is communication between musicians, jazz is communication between countries. On the 14th of December 2011, mica focus will host a discussion session on the subject “Collaborations and Exchange Projects of Organizers and Musicians between Austria and the Countries of the Former East” in Vienna’s jazz club Porgy & Bess.
With this panel discussion, the club Porgy & Bess and mica – music austria want to portray and analyze the current situation of different forms of presentation and co-operation between Austria and countries of the former East. The results of presentations but also the difficulties in implementation. Visions for future intensification of cultural contacts between countries and musicians. Jazz music as an ideal language to foster the cultural exchange and send positive signals for a new united Europe.
Save the Date: 14.12.2011, 2 p.m.
Venue: Porgy & Bess, Riemergasse 11, 1010 Vienna
Panel Leader:
- Virgil Mihaiu, Romania
Participants:
- Anna Moser, Poland
- Vilem Spilka, Czech Republic
- Peter Pallai, Hungary
- Sándor Kozlov, Hungary
- Peter Lipa, Slovakia
About the participants:
Virgil Mihaiu, Romania
Author, jazz critic, member of the list of authors at Down Beat, currently director of the Romanian Cultural Institute in Lisbon.
Anna Moser, Poland
Works for the Polish Cultural Institute in Vienna. She organizes concerts and tours for Polish musicians in Austria and Austrian musicians in Poland. Anna Moser has also developed cooperation projects between Austrian and Polish musicians.
Sandor Kozlov, Hungary
Between 2002 and 2007, Sandor Kozlov worked for the Hungarian Cultural and Science Centre in Moscow. Since 2007, he is responsible for festival projects and marketing in the venue A38 Ship in Budapest. He is the curator of the My City Festival and manages Russian and Hungarian bands.
Peter Lipa, Slovakia
Jazz singer for over 40 years and founder of the Bratislava Jazz Days. Peter Lipa is one of the pioneers of the Slovak jazz scene. He received five Aurel awards (The Slovakian Gammy), and has sold up to 15,000 CDs of his productions.
Vilem Spilka, Czech Republic
Curator of the international jazz festival JAZZFESTBRNO, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2011.
Peter Pallai, Hungary
Curator of the Jazz Program at the Hungarian Cultural Institute in London. He organizes a weekly program at a jazz club in Budapest. He is a music journalist at the Hungarian Civil radio station Radio and a former member of Jazz Radio BBC in the UK.
Discussion Topics:
Jazz is a very communicative art form. Musicians have always been interested in interacting and exchanging with colleagues from other countries. Is there an existing historical tradition between Austria and former Eastern countries, regarding exchange projects between artists of the respective countries?
In Austria, it is primarily the Viennese club Porgy & Bess that repeatedly focuses on jazz from the former Eastern countries. Is it easy to develop such focal points vice versa in the countries of the former East?
Jazz has a major history in the countries of the former East. 30 years ago, music platforms were always a part of the jazz scene in these countries. Is that still the case today? If not, what are the reasons?
In Austria, young musicians under the age of 30 have joined forces to form collaborative platforms, which the elderly musicians never had. How is the current situation in the countries of the former East?
Austrian radio broadcasts dealing with jazz are decreasing. Austrian TV shows about jazz are missing completely. Is the situation in the East similar or have the possibilities of broadcasting been preserved?
The media landscape in the field of jazz in Austria and in Europe is decreasing, or has respectively disappeared entirely. Is it similar in the countries of the East, or does print media play a stronger role in cultural life?
EU cultural funding emphasizes on especially fostering the cooperation between at least three European countries and developing lasting networks. In order for these organizations to participate in an EU project, a considerable financial amount is required at the submission. Due to these circumstances and the financial situation of organizations in the East, does this lower the possibilities of realizing collaborative projects?
Is there a political will to change this situation?
What conclusions are there of how an effective EU cultural funding should position itself to give those countries with lower capacities a higher chance of implementing their cultural projects?
In its style, the young Austrian music scene rather orients towards an experimental direction. Is it similar in the Eastern countries? If not, why not? If yes, why are there are only such few joint projects between the musicians of a more recent musical style?
It is often interesting for event organizers to collaborate on joint projects with other organizers from other countries. From a historical context, such projects are mostly focused on musicians from the U.S. What is the reason for this, or is this assumption incorrect?
On a political level, a lot of cultural platforms are being initiated and are considered as important. Do these platforms have a visible impact in the realities of jazz promoters? For example, the cultural platform of Central Europe or the recently founded platform Culture of the Danube Countries.
Are there regular meetings between organizers and political cultural representatives of different countries to develop and implement joint projects?
Are the cultural representatives of the former Eastern countries developing common strategies and forms of presentation in Austria? If not, what are the reasons?
The financial situation will always play a strong role in developing new strategies and forms of presentation. How obstructive is this situation in developing successful joint projects with the Western European countries?
What should a future cooperation between the countries look like? What kind of visions for joint projects are there, and should they be prioritized?
What initiatives would be necessary to raise more attention for jazz from the new EU Member States?
To which extent can a media cooperation promote a stronger focus on joint projects?
What role do social networks play in terms of visibility and distribution and how large are the language barriers in the realization of a common course of action?
Thesis:
Jazz in the history of the reception in the former Eastern countries has always been a forward-looking art form. Is this still the case, or has jazz of the East lost its innovative competence within a social reception of culture?
Introductory Topics:
History of cooperation between the countries
What are the existing forms of collaboration between former Eastern countries?
Is there a special reason for cooperation between the countries?
Are there existing co-operations between the festivals?
In the history of jazz from the Eastern countries there was a lot of resistance to the system. What it is the situation today, or is this no longer an issue?