EJN PRESS RELEASE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2013
SEPTEMBER 13TH AND 14TH - TRONDHEIM, NORWAY
Europe Jazz Network (EJN) is an association of European producers and presenters who specialise in contemporary jazz and improvised musics.
EJN was formed in 1987, at a time when the internet and email were in their infancy. From the inspiration that new electronic communication methods could make it possible for promoters to share ideas and collaborate in organising tours and concerts, EJN was created as a network of promoters who connected with one another through the newly emerging medium of the world wide web. The membership includes now 89 organisations (Festivals, clubs and concert venues, independent promoters, national organisations) in 28 countries.
This year EJN is organizing its General Assembly in Trondheim, Norway which will take place from 13th to 15th September in cooperation with Trondheim Jazz Festival and Mid-Norwegian Centre of Jazz.
More than 130 delegates from all over the world, mainly from Europe, will meet for this 3-day event full of concerts, panel discussions, special projects sharing and creation, B2B meetings, etc.
The main themes of this year are the Jazz, the educational system and its relationship with schools and universities, the audience development supported by the presentation of several European leading experiences, the sustainability as environmental protection when organizing events and tours, all themes to which all EJN members are particularly committed. Several important speakers will deal with these topics.
This year EJN will host, among others:
Larry Monroe, vice President for Academic Affairs/Berklee Valencia (USA);
Erling Aksdal, Professor of NTNU Departement of Music in Trondheim (Norway);
Andrew Dubber, Professor of Music Industries Innovation at Birmingham City University (UK);
Marcel Roelofs, Director of the Zomer JazzFiets Tour (Netherlands);
Alison Tickell, CEO of Julie's Bicycle (UK);
Ben Mandelson, Founding Director of WOMEX, The World Music Expo in Cardiff (UK).
Annamaija Saarela (Finland) EJN President says:
“I'm extremely happy about the success of our 2013 General Assembly. The upcoming gathering is to be the biggest in the history of the network so far when speaking about the number of the delegates. This fact clearly shows us the increasing need of networking and collaboration during the unstable financial times in Europe.
Trondheim with its excellent reputation as the home town of one of the best jazz conservatoires in Europe is a very good location to discuss about education and audience development.”
Ernst Wiggo Sandbakk (Norway) Trondheim Jazz Festival director says:
“We have been members of Europe Jazz Network since 2010. Since then we´ve got a lot of new jazz friends from all over Europe. This has meant sharing valuable knowledge and experience, and we are very much looking forward to welcome them all to Trondheim.”
At the same time, Trondheim Jazz Festival and Mid-Norwegian Centre of Jazz are organizing an important Norwegian Jazz Showcase which includes the following bands:
Hedvig Mollestad Trio
Cortex
Vigleik Storaas Trio
Marius Neset & Trondheim Jazz Orchestra
Trondheim Voices
Mørk
Albatrosh
Sommerfuglfisk
A real and original creative window opened up to the brilliant and lively Norwegian Jazz scene.
There will be also the Young Nordic Jazz Comets YNJC that take place in Trondheim on 12 September 2013, an event for young aspiring jazz talents coming from Northern countries: Sweden, Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Denmark.
