UFRJ Mobility
7 Giugno 2026 | JazzAble
Erasmus+ KA171 – Final Mobility Report
International Staff and Student Mobility
Siena Jazz – Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
Reporting period: March 2026
Sending Institution: Siena Jazz – Accademia Nazionale del Jazz (Italy)
Host Institution: Instituto Villa-Lobos – Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Academic Staff: Alessandro Lanzoni
Participating Students: Federica Cesano, Elia Fulceri, Marcello Della Seta
1. Background
The mobility was organised within the framework of Siena Jazz’s internationalisation strategy, aimed at strengthening cooperation with Higher Education Institutions outside Europe and promoting the exchange of artistic, educational and cultural practices.
The initiative contributed to the development of long-term academic relationships between Italian and Brazilian higher education institutions specialising in jazz and contemporary music education.
2. Objectives
The mobility pursued the following objectives:
- strengthen institutional cooperation between Siena Jazz and Brazilian higher education institutions;
- promote the exchange of teaching methodologies in jazz performance and improvisation;
- enhance students’ artistic and intercultural competences through an international learning environment;
- disseminate Siena Jazz’s educational approach within an overseas academic context;
- foster future collaborations in teaching, artistic production and research.
3. Activities Implemented
The delegation took part in a programme of educational and artistic activities in Rio de Janeiro.
The core activity was the international masterclass “Composição e Improvisação Jazzística”, delivered by Professor Alessandro Lanzoni on 27 March 2026 at the Instituto Villa-Lobos (UNIRIO).
The session explored jazz as a collaborative musical language, focusing on:
- ensemble interaction;
- collective listening;
- groove development;
- rhythm section performance;
- accompaniment techniques;
- improvisation strategies;
- bebop language and melodic development;
- interpretation of jazz standards and original compositions.
The methodology combined lectures, practical workshops, ensemble performance, guided improvisation and open discussion with participants, encouraging active participation and peer learning.
Students from Siena Jazz attended the activities alongside Brazilian students, creating an environment of artistic exchange and intercultural dialogue.
4. Learning Outcomes
The mobility enabled participants to strengthen competences in four main areas.
Artistic Competences
- development of advanced jazz improvisation skills;
- improvement of ensemble interaction and communication;
- exposure to different stylistic and interpretative approaches;
- increased awareness of collaborative performance practices.
Educational Competences
- observation and comparison of different higher education teaching methodologies;
- exchange of pedagogical approaches between Italian and Brazilian institutions;
- acquisition of innovative strategies for jazz education.
Intercultural Competences
- improved communication in an international academic environment;
- greater cultural awareness and openness;
- enhanced adaptability and collaborative skills;
- development of professional international networks.
Personal Development
The mobility encouraged autonomy, flexibility and confidence in multicultural artistic contexts, reinforcing participants’ ability to work effectively in international settings.
5. Impact
Impact on Students
Students benefited from direct interaction with a different educational system and musical culture, expanding both their artistic perspective and their professional outlook.
The experience strengthened their capacity to perform, communicate and collaborate in multicultural environments while increasing their awareness of international opportunities in higher music education.
Impact on Academic Staff
The mobility provided an opportunity to disseminate Siena Jazz’s educational model internationally while simultaneously acquiring new pedagogical perspectives through dialogue with Brazilian colleagues and students.
Institutional Impact
The initiative reinforced Siena Jazz’s international profile and contributed to the consolidation of academic cooperation with Brazilian higher education institutions.
The mobility also created favourable conditions for future exchanges involving students, teaching staff, artistic residencies, joint performances and collaborative educational projects.
6. Added Value of the Mobility
Beyond the planned educational activities, the mobility generated significant added value by promoting intercultural dialogue through music.
Jazz, understood as a shared language based on listening, interaction and creativity, proved to be an effective tool for strengthening academic cooperation and fostering mutual understanding between participants from different cultural backgrounds.
The experience also increased the international visibility of Siena Jazz, highlighting the quality of its educational approach within a highly qualified academic environment.
7. Dissemination
Knowledge and experiences acquired during the mobility will be disseminated through:
- integration into regular teaching activities at Siena Jazz;
- sharing of good practices with students and colleagues;
- presentations during internationalisation initiatives;
- promotion of future institutional collaborations with Brazilian partners.
8. Sustainability and Future Cooperation
The mobility represents an important step towards establishing long-term cooperation between Siena Jazz and Brazilian higher education institutions.
Future developments may include:
- reciprocal student mobility;
- staff teaching exchanges;
- joint artistic productions;
- collaborative research projects;
- international workshops and summer schools;
- co-designed educational activities within future Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility programmes.
9. Conclusion
The mobility successfully achieved its educational, artistic and institutional objectives.
It provided valuable opportunities for knowledge exchange, intercultural dialogue and professional development while reinforcing Siena Jazz’s commitment to internationalisation and academic excellence.
The experience demonstrated the importance of international mobility in higher music education, confirming its role as a catalyst for innovation, artistic growth and sustainable international partnerships.
