Vol. 2 No. 2 (2025): Jazz Encounters. Foundations and Potentials of Music Mediation in Jazz

Even though the concept of music mediation can be applied to diverse practices and musical styles, it is still realized “with a focus primarily on so-called Western art music respectively classical music” (Chaker and Petri-Preis 2022, 11). Jazz is a widely acknowledged genre, performed in jazz clubs and increasingly also in traditional concert halls, and taught at (music) schools as well as in higher music education across many parts of the world. Yet, while music mediation has developed remarkably within classical concert life, it is still in its early stages in the field of jazz. Against this backdrop, the conference Music Mediation in Jazz held in 2024 at the Gustav Mahler Private University of Music in Klagenfurt (Austria) offered a welcome space for dialogue. It brought together musicians, educators, and researchers, revealing a wealth of inspiring perspectives and approaches as well as a strong desire for professional and academic exchange. The vivid discussions during this event inspired the idea of dedicating the third issue of the International Journal of Music Mediation to the topic of music mediation in jazz. This issue turns the spotlight on the foundations and potentials of a jazz-oriented approach to music mediation.