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maja osojnik

Maja Osojnik made a name for herself in different musical fields, such as early music, contemporary, experimental, jazz, free improvisation and heavy music.

About Me

Artist Information

Biography Maja Osojnik singer, recorder player, electronics, composer, performer, occasional visual artist

born in Kranj,1976, Slowenien, lives and works in Vienna, Austria

Maja made a name for herself in different musical fields, such as early music, contemporary, experimental, jazz, free improvisation and heavy music. She completed with distinction her master studies in recorder and graduated in pedagogic sciences at the University of Music in Vienna, and further studied singing at the Conservatory Vienna Private University in Vienna.

She was awarded with awards and scholarships, among them “Publicity Preis 2007” from SKE (with Low Frequency Orchestra), Gradus ad Parnassum 2003, IYAP – EM 2004 (1. Preis with Ensemble MIKADO), „Voices“ Jazz Fest Wien Award 2005, Bank Austria Artist of the Year 2008, in 2009 she was awarded the Austrian state scholarship for composing. In 2010 she is awarded the mia award – award goes to women, living in Austria, with a background of migration, for their special achievements in different fields, such as art and culture, science, economy, research, humanitarian work, journalism...

During the last years she focuses more and more on her own compositions, songwriting, electronics. She composed music for theater, animation movie, and different ensembles. Some of her works are „Die glückliche Kindheit am Dorf“ (2007), „Songs from Mortagapenija“ (2008), „vor.über.nach“ (2008), „Doorways“ (2008), „yellow“ with frufru (2008), „white“ with frufru (2009), „a part of me is made of glas“ (2009), “little dream machine” (2010) for RSO Orchestra... and of course many songs for her band.

Around her, a similarly thinking and working group of wonderful musicians has gathered. With Philipp Jagschitz (piano), Bernd Satzinger (contrabass), Michael Bruckner (guitar), Clemens Wenger (accordion) and Mathias Koch (percussion), she arranges and composes songs that are based on old Slovenian folk songs and stories. Their contents touch on basic existential themes such as parting and include social critiques, speaking of war, greed and selfishness, on life stories: of chance, fate, happiness, unhappiness, of lucky accidents, of paths that occasionally cross and then even unite; they speak inescapably of death and of love. Here is a dark lake, full of the hidden, lost, or rejected; you fish around in it until you touch some thing; when you bring it to the surface, you hear a new story. While the songs are overshadowed by a heavy melancholia, they still don’t seem resigned, but instead find critical words. Maja sees herself as a narrator. She tells stories and uses all the elements she deems necessary for a good tale or atmosphere. Thus, the band moves capriciously between jazz, avant - garde, free improvisation and chanson, allowing for elements of simple folk music as well as rock music. Abstract electronic and concrete urban sound-scapes, free and musette colored structures can be heard.

Maja Osojnik Band gave Concerts and Interviews in Austria and abroad, among others, Balkan Fever Festival Vienna, Porgy & Bess, Birdland, Donauinselfest Vienna, Falterfest, Jazzwerkstatt Vienna, Jazz over Villach, Klangräume Ö1, Jazznacht Ö1, Jazzfestival Graz, Festival Carniola / Slovenia, Festival Lent Maribor / Slovenia, 48. Jazzfestival Ljubljana / Slovenia, Balkan Fever Festival London /Great Britain, Carinthischer Sommer, Wiener Konzerthaus, Remise Bludenz, Domimberg Graz, Glatt und Verkehrt Krems Austria. In 2010 the band is invited to play in Cultural Forum New York....

www.majaosojnik.com www.myspace.com/majaosojnik

Instrumentation maja osojnik - vocals, recorders, electronics philipp jagschitz - piano michael bruckner-weinhuber - e-guitar clemens wenger - accordion bernd satzinger - double bass mathias koch - drums

Discography CD references: 1)Maja Osojnik Band CRNE VODE /BLACK WATERS / SCHWARZE WASSER, CD/BOOK, may 2010, released by Viennese Soulfood Records, Distribution: Hoanzl 2)Maja Osojnik Band „Oblaki so rdeci“ (die Wolken sind rot / the Clouds are red), 2006 released by Jazzwerkstattrecords, Distribution: Lotus

other CDs releases - go to my web www.majaosojnik.com