Upper Styrian Big Band Folk: Exploring Local Identity and Authenticity in Jazz

Upper Styrian Big Band Folk is an arts-based research project which has aimed for the exploration of local identity, authenticity and meaning as manifested in and interrelated with jazz composition and performance. This exposition outlines the project, its underlying aesthetic values and presents a critical reflection of the work. Two videos show the musical scores and audio recordings of two selected compositions for large jazz orchestra which represent a significant aspect of artistic research in this project. A hermeneutic reading of the music offers insight into the work's contextual background and aesthetic matters.