Press release

Monash academics set to explore the lack of gender diversity in Australian jazz and improvisation

Academic experts from the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music and Faculty of Education have received significant Australian Research Council funding to examine the lack of gender diversity in Australian jazz.

The ARC Special Research Initiative (SRI20) grant  is designed to support excellent research into Australian society, history and culture; and build Australian research capacity in this area by supporting researchers of the highest international standing. Titled ‘Diversifying music in Australia: gender equity in jazz and improvisation’, the School of Music’s research project is helmed by Associate Professor Robert Burke, with a team including Professor Margaret Barrett, Professor Cat Hope, Dr Clare Hall (Faculty of Education), Dr Louise Devenish and Dr Nicole Canham.

Jazz music is renowned for entrenched behaviours and attitudes that have historically marginalised female-identifying and gender non-conforming (FI & GNC) musicians. Despite persistent and well-documented gender injustices, there are no statistics currently available about female-identifying and non-binary musicians’ participation in the Australian jazz and improvised music sector.

As the only music program to receive funding in ARC’s Special Research Initiative, SZCSM’s research project aims to drive a cultural reckoning in the world of jazz and beyond. Researchers will shine light on the masculinist culture predominant in Australian jazz and improvisation by developing new knowledge in historical and contemporary practices of inclusion, exclusion and participation.

“To date, measures taken to address persistent barriers to equity in jazz and improvisation have been inadequate”, said Associate Professor Burke. “Through research and intervention, we aim to develop best practice that can be trialled as future models will inform the knowledge base and research capacity necessary to advance music research, policy, education and practice”.

‘With world leading researchers on our team, our work tackling issues with gender in jazz will create positive and long overdue change in the performing arts,’ said Dr Clare Hall. ‘If we work out the issues with gender in jazz, it can translate across industries.’

Importantly, by generating extensive case studies of the music industry and music education as jazz ecologies, the project seeks to establish a model for career pathways for female- identifying and non-binary/GNC musicians.

“Our research won’t just live on the page”, said Associate Professor Burke. “By championing equality, this project will have a tangible impact on lives, careers and culture”.

The project's significance lies not only in its contributions to policy and practice in the performing arts sector, but also its mentoring of an emerging generation of researchers.

Follow the project’s progress on Twitter @genderjazz.