Atmospheric compositions get interwoven with improvisations in fluent way.
It is difficult to differentiate: what is composition, where starts improvisation? Harp solo changes with different line-ups like harp/cello, harp/accordion/percussion, harp/bass or harp/tuba/percussion.
It is music for the soul. A journey into timelessness, into quietness.
Inspired by the natural finish of the green landscapes, the untouched coasts and the mountains of the Brecon Beacons national park in western Wales. But also, by the love for tango, a Brittonic dance, encounters with people and the imagination of weightlessness.
The result is a high-quality CD with Monika Stadlers perfected harp play and her outstanding collaborations, her distinctive compositions, the exquisite sound engineering by Harald Peterstorfer and the tasty cover artwork by Harald Ergott.
Born in Linz (Austria), lives partly in Vienna, partly in Wales (UK).
Monika Stadler is estimated for 25 years now as one of the most interesting and creative solo harp players in Europe. She studied at the Wiener Musikhochschule (classical music) with Prof. Blovsky-Miller and in Boston (Jazz) with Deborah Henson-Conant, where she was awarded by several international harp competitions.
After performances with the Wiener Symphoniker she is now concentrating on playing her own projects as soloist, in duo or trio line-up.
Next to her live performances in many countries of Europa, North Africa, USA, Canada, Japan, Vietnam and Austria she is giving workshops for improvisation on harp for harp players in Europe and the USA.
Since 2010 she is teaching Jazz harp at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. Since 2016 she is having a teaching assignment for improvisation at the Universität für Musik und darst. Kunst in Vienna.
Her compositions are characterized by her very personal musical style that combines elements of jazz, classical music, world, folk and improvised music and breathe fresh air into harp music.
Her aim is always to enlarge the technique of harp playing and add soul to her playing. Monika Stadler combines in a brilliant way highest musicality with masterly technique.
Due to her virtuosity, her innovative original compositions and the great variety of styles she is performing regularly on festivals and venues in Europa, Asia and the USA.
She has released 10 CDs with mainly original compositions as well as score books.
“My music is a very personal expression of my soul, my spirituality, my femaleness. It arises from my connection with the nature, the rhythms of life, the experience of inner and outer moods and silence”.