Jazz-Institute Berlin
Prof. Peter Weniger, former Artistic Director JIB
Björn Sickert, former Managing Director JIB
On the foundation of the Jazz-Institute Berlin:
"The jazz departments of the Academy of Music "Hanns Eisler" and the University of the Arts have joined together to form the "Jazz-Institute Berlin". This concentration and focussing of resources is necessary, because Berlin is associated with immense potential, be it economic, political or artistic. Elements of the creative scene in London and New York are looking to get a foot in the door in Germany’s capital city, because here it is obvious that the ethnic diversity, the incongruities past and present, the omnipresence of politics and history and not least Berlin’s geographical location in the new Europe combine to create a climate of experimentation and change.
One senses the opportunity to participate in, and even help to mould, the exciting process of the growth and development of a cultural metropolis.
It is on this fertile soil that the Academy of Music "Hanns Eisler“ and the University of the Arts have created a new crystallization point:
The Jazz-Institute Berlin – JIB.
One aim of the JIB’s work is finding the way to an individual artistic identity while learning the job profile of the professional jazz musician.
Jazz, as one of the artistic forms of expression of the 20th and 21st centuries, always plays an important role in times of upheaval, and also symbolizes the search for new modes of expression, breaking with tradition, and provocation – closely bound up with reflections on society.
Effective international networking should offer the students not only essential musical experiences characterized by different national styles, but above all important links for the future, after leaving the Institute.
The use of net-based learning and knowledge platforms, and the fostering and application of new technologies are considered essential in the JIB.
All this is now possible in one location. The planning of the new building includes diverse teaching and practice rooms, a hall for concerts and workshops, a recording studio for experiments and even a café.
The JIB wishes to provide individuals with freedom and space to facilitate a lively exchange of ideas and views."
