Openness, Deep Connections and Fractal Structures in (Learning) Jazz-Oriented Music Mediation

A conversation with Harald Rüschenbaum, the former artistic director of the Bavarian State Youth Jazz Orchestra

Abstract

This reflection on practice is based on an Interview with jazz musician and educator Harald Rüschenbaum and explores his pedagogical philosophy and practice through the lens of his work with the Bavarian State Youth Jazz Orchestra and their concerts in state schools. Rather than viewing music as a fixed curriculum or performance, Rüschenbaum frames it as a process of encounter, openness, and mutual discovery. His approach emphasizes improvisation, both musically and pedagogically. Acting simultaneously as a performer, mediator, and mentor during these concerts, Rüschenbaum creates spaces where children and musicians from the orchestra can engage experientially with jazz. He advocates a learning-by-doing model supported by reflection, where individual curiosity and collective connection are central. This article highlights how his methods aim for genuine engagement and position jazz-oriented music mediation as a dynamic interplay between people, sounds, and context – being less about conveying knowledge and more about enabling shared musical experiences.