Austrian researcher Kendra Stepputat visited INET-md to explore new ways of experiencing classical music.

On 28 October, INET-md welcomed Austrian researcher Kendra Stepputat, Associate Professor and Director of the Institute of Ethnomusicology at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (KUG). Her visit took place as part of the Permanent Seminar of the Research Group on Ethnomusicology and Popular Music Studies, held at the Department of Communication and Art (DeCA) of the University of Aveiro.

In her presentation, Moving Concert! An Experiment to Merge Classical Concert and Dancehall Vibes, Stepputat introduced an experimental project developed at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz during the summer of 2026. The initiative sought to challenge established conventions governing audience behaviour in classical music performances.

Entitled Moving Concert, the project involved the KUG Wind Orchestra, which performed a varied repertoire, including works by Gabriel Fauré and Gordon Jacob. The programme was developed collaboratively by dance professionals, conductors, and ethnomusicologists, with the aim of creating a musical experience in which listening and movement could become closely connected.

Unlike conventional concert settings, audience members were invited to move freely throughout the performance, without the expectation that they should remain seated. The space included only a limited number of chairs, floor mattresses, swings, and open areas, encouraging different forms of bodily engagement and interaction with the music.

During the seminar, Stepputat presented the conceptual foundations of the experiment and shared findings from research exploring relationships between music, movement, audience behaviour, and musical reception. Her presentation encouraged reflection on the transformation of classical concert conventions and the possibilities of making these experiences more accessible to audiences with different expectations and modes of participation.

Kendra Stepputat holds a PhD in Ethnomusicology from the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz. Her research focuses on music and dance, particularly Balinese performance traditions and Argentine tango. She has contributed to the development of choreomusicological approaches exploring relationships between sound, music, and movement, and is the author of several publications in these fields, including Tango Dance and Music: A Choreomusical Exploration of Tango Argentino (2024).

Kendra Stepputat’s visit to INET-md thus provided an opportunity for interdisciplinary reflection on the relationships between music, the body, and participation, opening new perspectives for the study of listening practices and musical experiences in contemporary performance contexts.