Jazz was and is the melting pot of music of the 20th and 21st centuries. It brings together opposites, drawing from classical, pop, folk music, as well as new classical music. It also develops in time and reflects specific moments in its development. In the words of Herbie Hancock: "Jazz is about capturing the moment." This is the nature of improvisation. The ability to improvise - or rely on a quality education and strong technical knowledge to make decisions spontaneously - is not only musically important, it is also socially important. Jazz musicians have this ability. They are versatile, open, and flexible, they are unconventional thinkers and individualists – a powerful combination of qualities.
As the jazz department of the only conservatory in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, we are committed to this vision of jazz. We want to support and guide young musicians through their development and provide them with the necessary tools to work professionally and find their own voices, in both musical and social terms.
At the same time, we are committed to upholding a cultural and educational mandate: To help familiarize broad audiences with jazz and understand its power, to instill a fascination with jazz in young and old alike, to find new circles of listeners – these are the goals that shape our philosophy.