An all-female big band as industry commentary: Meike advocates for gender equality in the music industry

"Playing the trumpet was always a part of who I am, even from a very young age," says Meike Brandt about her instrument. She will soon graduate from the Jazz & Pop course at ArtEZ Academy of Music in Zwolle.

In this finals story, she shares her journey as a trumpeter at the ArtEZ Academy of Music and her plans for the future.

"The trumpet is an inseparable part of me," says Meike. "My father plays trumpet as well, my mother played the alto saxophone, and that's how they met. My brother played the flugelhorn for a while, and it has always been a regular part of our family life and my musical upbringing. Through becoming familiar with more and more trumpet repertoire, I developed my own love for the instrument. For example, when I heard Eric Vloeimans play and saw how he gave the instrument a completely unique sound, I immediately knew that I wanted to find my own authentic sound. That's why I decided to study Jazz & Pop. The course was a period of discovering who I am, both personally and musically. Thanks to my main trumpet teacher, Jan Wessels, I made significant progress and developed my improvisation skills. I even play in a hip-hop/funk band called Chef Defect now."

"I named my graduation concert 'Break the Circle' to address the underrepresentation of women in this part of the music industry."

Meike Brandt

Graduation

"Specifically for my graduation from the Jazz & Pop programme, I have assembled a seven-piece band with musicians who all study at the Academy of Music in Zwolle. On Wednesday, 19 June, I will be performing with them at Odeon Zwolle, showcasing pieces that have inspired me over the past few years. From jazz and bossa nova to a warm and intimate song by Brigitte Kaandorp, I will showcase my trumpet and flugelhorn skills in various ways. In addition to the music, I also want to use the stage to make a statement. To call my male colleagues' attention to the issue, I plan to perform with a 17-woman big band during my final exam concert. I want to spotlight women in the jazz music industry."

All-female big band

"I have been working on this project for about half a year, although I have been thinking about gender inequality in the music industry since the beginning of my studies," Meike says. "From finding 16 other female musicians, planning rehearsals, and writing pieces, my overall idea was to highlight women in big bands. If you Google big bands, you mostly see pictures of male musicians. It's not that I think male musicians are less talented, but I want to offer a more diverse image of big bands, with women on stage too. I named my graduation concert 'Break the Circle' to address the underrepresentation of women in this part of the music industry. Of course, I could have chosen to form a diverse band with musicians of different genders, but the fact that it is an all-women band has a powerful wow effect. By founding and presenting this women's big band, I aim to promote equal opportunities and inclusion in the music world. I hope to inspire other young women to pursue their goals in the music industry despite the obstacles they may face. I intend to continue this project after my studies, so my statement can resonate on an ever-larger scale."

Future plans

"After my final exam, I need to find a new home. I have been living in the conservatory house at Assendorperplein for the past few years. Now that my studies are over, I unfortunately have to leave this beautiful home too. What is certain is that I will continue teaching and conducting at music associations around Zwolle two days a week. With Chef Defect, we are currently releasing new work and have many performances scheduled. As I said at the beginning: making music and playing the trumpet is an inseparable part of me, and I will continue to do so. Additionally, I have ambitions as a photographer and want to further develop in that field."