Vorlesungsverzeichnis

Vorlesungsverzeichnis

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Veranstaltungen von Gabriela Rojas Sierra

Lehrveranstaltungen

Excursion to Havana: Artistic Entrepreneuring & Bricolage as strategies for Artistic Communities in Challenging Times (FSL) (Seminar)

Dozent/in: Lea Jakob, Gabriela Rojas Sierra

Inhalt: In April 2024, a seminar in collaboration with the Cuban artistic collective “Ensemble Interactivo de la Habana” generated significant interest among students. In the upcoming summer semester, we will expand our geographical focus and continue our partnership with several Cuban artists through a 10-day excursion to Cuba (September 25 - October 5, 2025 approximately, depending on availability of flights). Cuba is internationally recognized as the “Island of Music.” The Cuban government has long leveraged the nation’s musical heritage as a cultural asset, while musicians navigate a landscape marked by both privileges and censorship. Today, state influence continues to shape the artistic context, yet many musicians operate outside state-run institutions. They are developing innovative organizational and funding models, acting as "Artpreneurs," often straddling the line between legal and illegal activities (Monasterio Barsó, 2018). Music has served as a global ambassador for Cuba since the Habanera emerged in the 1870s. Cuban music has played a crucial role in shaping the tourism sector, influencing tourists’ expectations and experiences through genres like Música Bailable (e.g., Salsa) and the Buena Vista Social Club in the 1990s. While these styles form the basis of the current “tourist gaze,” this narrow representation neglects the rich diversity of expressions and practices that constitute Cuban music heritage. This includes music influenced by traditional dances such as bolero, son, danzón, rumba, as well as a vibrant classical music scene featuring a variety of orchestras and choirs that seek to blend traditional Cuban music with contemporary elements. In our seminar, we will focus on two key aspects: 1. What do we “do” with “other” music? We will critically reflect on our own positionality, analyzing underlying assumptions and power structures within our music ecosystem. Where do our stereotyped images of Cuban music originate? How do these perceptions impact musicians in the field? What might decolonial pathways look like for featuring Cuban artists in European concert halls? 2. How does the artistic community in Cuba navigate the current crises of emigration and uncertainty? We will explore how artistic and organizational practices are evolving in response to these challenges. The pandemic and the significant decline in tourism following 2020 have accelerated existing dysfunctions in Cuba’s economic system, leading to a deep crisis affecting all aspects of professional and daily life (Thiemann & Mare, 2021). The ongoing wave of emigration, particularly among young and talented artists, poses significant challenges for the future of the cultural sector. During our excursion, we will engage with various music institutions, including orchestras, bands, and chamber music ensembles, focusing on how they understand the role of their music from within, how they perceive the view from abroad, and how artistic and organizational practices are changing. A theoretical lens for our excursion will be the concept of “bricolage.” Originally introduced by Lévi-Strauss (1967), bricolage is applicable across disciplines, including entrepreneurship research, where it is defined as "making do by applying combinations of available resources to new problems and opportunities" (Baker and Nelson, 2005). Through this perspective, we will deepen our understanding of the field's context. The seminar will emphasize methodological approaches, drawing on (auto)ethnography to investigate our learnings during the excursion. Students will receive an introduction to ethnographic research and critically reflect on the challenges faced by Global North student researchers in Global South contexts. They will also learn the principles of ethnographic writing and how to systematically analyze their learning experiences in the field. This seminar will be advertised in advance of the central lottery procedure to minimize financial burdens and facilitate effective planning. All participants must submit a letter of motivation by March 15, 2025, and will be notified before the beginning of the summer semester regarding their acceptance into the seminar.