Orpheus Instituut appoints new Director of Research

As Jonathan steps down after serving as our inaugural Director of Research since 2015, his successor takes the lead in further deepening our long-standing commitment to artistic research.

With interests spanning opera, stage design, early and electronic music, Bruno Forment brings a wide-ranging and interdisciplinary profile to the role. He is currently principal investigator of the ‘Resounding Libraries’ research cluster at Orpheus Instituut, where his work explores the often-overlooked role of libraries as active agents in musical creation and performance. In addition to his new position, he will continue to lead this cluster, as well as coordinate open science policy at the institute.

Since joining Orpheus Instituut in 2015 as its inaugural Director of Research, Jonathan Impett has been instrumental in transforming the institute’s vision for artistic research into a tangible and influential body of work. Over the past eleven years, he has cultivated a culture of inquiry that balances artistic practice with intellectual rigor, acting as a primus inter pares among his colleagues. A polymath, whose own expertise bridges early music, electronic sound and instrument design, Jonathan brought a formidable intellectual range and a generous spirit to the role. Orpheus Instituut is profoundly grateful for his years of commitment and the unique sharpness he brought to the development of our research environment.

Jonathan’s tenure was marked by several landmark achievements that have significantly expanded the institute’s reach. He spearheaded the development of the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) ‘Introduction to Artistic Research in Music,’ providing the foundational materials that have since reached a global audience. As the driving force behind the ECHO journal and platform, he established a vital space for discourse on the intersections of music, thought, and technology. His dedication to public engagement is further reflected in his support for ‘Sound Arguments’, a bottom-up initiative bringing artistic research to non-academic audiences through practical workshops, and in the successful collaborative events staged with Concertgebouw Brugge. Finally, Jonathan was a key architect of the ‘20 Years of Orpheus’ celebrations and its accompanying publication, which remains a definitive record of the institute’s history and impact.

Bruno Forment succeeds Jonathan Impett, who has served as Director of Research since 2015. Jonathan will remain closely involved with Orpheus Instituut and will now focus fully on his own research cluster, continuing to contribute to the institute’s artistic research environment.

Looking ahead, Bruno aims to build upon the culture of curiosity-driven inquiry and the intellectual rigour and range that have become the hallmarks of the Orpheus Instituut.