Jasna Jovićević is a distinguished figure in the Serbian jazz scene, renowned for her versatility as a musician, composer, and artistic researcher. She is a master of multiple instruments, including the saxophone, bass clarinet, flute, and spacedrum. Her academic journey began with a BA in Jazz Saxophone Performance and Teaching from the Franz Liszt Music Academy in Budapest. She furthered her studies with an MA in Music Composition from York University in Toronto and culminated in a Ph.D. in Contemporary Arts and Media from Singidunum University in Belgrade, specializing in transdisciplinary studies.
As a performer, Jovićević has graced stages across Europe, the USA, and Canada, presenting her original compositions at numerous national and international festivals. At the moment, she leads several musical projects, including the Jasna Jovićević Quinary, ANJALI Trio, and the Jovicevic/Miklos/Wojcinski Trio. Her discography of original music includes “Invented Reality,” “The Sound of Birds,” “Travellers,” “Flow Vertical,” “Informal Shapes,” “Cardinal Points,” “Sounding Solitude,” “Soundfileds,” and “Live in Belgrade Radio.,” and she play on a dozen other albums as a sidewoman.
Jovićević’s career is marked by numerous awards and international recognition, including grants from prestigious programs such as Veneto Jazz in Italy, the Banff Centre in Canada, and ArtsLink in New York, UNESCO Aschberg, Creative Europe – I-porutnus and Culture Moves Europe for Improvising events and Triple Reed Artistic Research Residency in Zagreb, the Music Action Women Residency in San Francisco, and others. These experiences have enriched her artistic practice and expanded her global network of collaborators. Her research has been supported by the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C., Ars Electronica EU Lab, Center for the promotion of Science, and others. She has also won significant music competitions in Milan, Budapest, Belgrade, and Ljubljana. Jovićević’s accolades include the “Anđelka Milić Award” from SEFEM for promoting gender equality through her monograph “Good Morning Jazzwomen,” the “Draškoci Statue” for creative music achievement from the World Music Serbian Association, and numerous awards for her artistic research projects.
In addition to her performance career, Jovićević is a dedicated educator with extensive experience in pedagogy at the university level and in non-formal education. She combines her musical expertise with knowledge from yoga, nature, psychology, and ecology to encourage creativity and personal experience in music and art. She founded the New Spark Jazz Orchestra-Balkan Women in Jazz, an all-female big band that marks a significant milestone in Southern Eastern European jazz history.
Jovićević’s artistic and scientific research projects are numerous and varied. They include “Artivism for Safe Spaces: Empowering New Educational Models to Address GBV in South African Higher Education,” “Positioning of Female Instrumentalists in Social Practices of Jazz,” “FLIM – Female Leadership in Music,” “Doing Thinking in Jazz: The Infinite Art of Preparing for Improvisation,” “Soundscape of Female Experience,” “Sounding Solitude,” “I Sit and Worry About Her,” “Flow Vertical,” “Walking on Margins”, and “Sound of Birds.” These projects explore themes ranging from gender identity and jazz performance to the impact of sound vibrations and the integration of music and ecological advocacy, as well as social justice.
Her commitment to innovative pedagogical approaches is evident in her roles at various educational institutions. She is serving as a Visiting Research Associate at Tshwane University of Technology – Faculty of Arts & Design in Pretoria, South Africa, and as a Professor of Vocational Studies at the College of Vocational Studies for the Education of Preschool Teachers in Subotica. She has also been a Guest Lecturer at JAM Music Lab Private University in Vienna and the Faculty of Music University of Arts in Belgrade, among others.
Her published scientific articles cover a range of topics, including the sonification of brainwaves, the mapping of performative bodies in jazz improvisation, and gender perspectives of instrumental jazz performers. Her work has been featured in esteemed publications such as Leonardo Music Journal, Journal of Art and Media Studies, and the Routledge Companion on Jazz and Gender.
Dr. Jasna Jovićević’s multifaceted approach to music, scientific research, and artistic expression continues to inspire and innovate.
Her work transcends traditional boundaries, integrating diverse disciplines to create a holistic and immersive experience. Through her dedication to artistic excellence and scholarly inquiry, she remains a pioneering force within the contemporary jazz landscape.