Foto (f.l.t.r.): Prof. Claus Reichstaller, Camilo Dornier und Präsident Prof. Dr. Bernd Redmann

Internationalization of the Jazz Institute

Being at the center of the jazz scene – either in the clubs of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro or at a jam session in Boston - can be a defining experience of a young musician's musical career.

In order to enable more students to gain such experience in the future, our university has been able to recruit Martin Zenker, an experienced musician, for the newly created internationalization position of the Jazz Institute as of May 1, 2022.

The double bass player Martin Zenker has been working as a lecturer at the Jazz Institute since 2014 and has already played a leading role in establishing a university partnership with the Mongolian State Conservatory in Ulan Bator. His first tasks in the new part-time position now include expanding existing contacts to the Brazilian jazz scene in order to offer our students new musical experiences abroad in the years to come. He will also be responsible for the internationalization of jazz education and the implementation of international collaborations and events.

Our university owes this newly created position to the generous donation of the benefactor and jazz enthusiast Camilo Dornier, who has been financially supporting projects, prizes and scholarships for many years. Next year marks the 10th anniversary of the Kurt Maas Jazz Award, which he established. This prize is one of the most important awards for young musicians at our university and in recent years has enabled the winners to gain valuable experience abroad at the renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston.

In addition to Camilo Dornier, President Prof. Dr. Bernd Redmann and Prof. Claus Reichstaller as head of the Jazz Institute, the signing ceremony for the grant agreement on February 3, 2022 was also attended by attorney Dr. Jürgen Peters, foundation officer Dr. Jona van Laak and Dr. Tanja Johannsen, the university's legal advisor.