On The Spot – The Jazz Department A Zeneakadémia saját szervezésű programja

The story of jazz tuition in Hungary goes back close on half a century. Indeed, Hungary was among the first in Europe to integrate into the state music school system the institutionalized teaching of the genre, initially at intermediate, then at foundation level. Its attainment of maturity was indicated by the launch of a high school department in the early 1990s, and both sides of the emancipation process proved themselves; the Jazz Department proved that it was possible to teach and examine this ‘free music style’ to an in-depth professional standard, and the Liszt Academy proved it was open to the new. There can be no doubt of the latter, as shown by the distinguished roll of graduates old and new, and among whom many have returned to their alma mater as professors. As a consequence of all this, there are many in Europe who speak of ‘Hungarian jazz’ as a particular, and discrete, sub-type.