Conference report on the 4th conference of the International Network for Artistic Research in Jazz (INARJ) at the JAM MUSIC LAB Private University for Jazz and Popular Music
The 4th conference of the International Network for Artistic Research in Jazz(INARJ) took place from 4-6 October 2024 at the JAM MUSIC LAB Private University for Jazz and Popular Music in Vienna. The conference was planned and organised as an essential part of the first project phase of the ongoing research project ‘Artistic Research in Jazz and Popular Music - An Artistic-Scientific Cartography of Current Music Practices in Vienna’ (2024-2028) at JMLU, which is funded by the City of Vienna Culture.
Under the guiding theme ‘Communities of Practice’, various artistic research projects and their results were presented and discussed in 27 conference contributions. The speakers are representatives of renowned academic institutions from the USA, Great Britain, Northern and Central Europe as well as South Africa and recognized experts with the academic status of university professors, lecturers and doctoral students. A few selected presentations by young researchers at Master's level rounded off the conference program. All contributions were based on extensive expertise in jazz and popular music as well as artistic research. The projects presented provided insights into the diversity of artistic research in jazz and popular music and perspectives on the potential of this innovative field of research regarding the genesis of knowledge in the thematic blocks ‘Geographic Communities and Placemaking’, ‘Networks Inside and Outside of Jazz’, ‘Communities of Pedagogy’, ‘Social Communities and Marginalised Groups’ and ‘Economic Communities and Artist Teams’. The contributions included conventional lecture formats, a panel discussion and participatory formats in which the transfer of knowledge in and through artistic practice was explored experimentally.
The INARJ network was founded at JMLU in 2019. The professional exchange at an international level guaranteed by the network represents a significant contribution to the external quality assurance of institutional research at the JMLU. Knowledge on the conference topic ‘Communities of Practice’ was expanded through presentations by JMLU teaching and research staff and fed back through the participation of students in research-based courses at JMLU. JMLU's contributions included a welcome address by Vice-Rector Ernst Theis, a panel discussion chaired by Michael Kahr, an edition of the Talking Jazz series by Monika Herzig and a practice-based workshop by Chanda Rule. The entire extensive program was successfully presented in hybrid form (in person and/or online) using the JAM MUSIC STAGE infrastructure. All presentations were documented and archived via audio/video recording for research purposes at the JMLU.
After the conferences in Vienna (2019, 2023 and 2024) and Birmingham (2021), the 5th INARJ Conference will take place at a partner institution abroad in 2025. The 6th INARJ conference in 2026 is planned to take place in Vienna again under the general theme of ‘Jazz, Popular Music and Technology’. Further information on the INARJ network and its activities can be found via the following website: www.artisticjazzresearch.com
