Sophie Hassfurther

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Genre(s): Contemporary Music, Jazz/Improvised Music
From: Salzburg, Austria
Contact: sophie@sophiehassfurther.com
Website: sophiehassfurther.com
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BIOGRAPHY

Sophie Hassfurther grew up near Salzburg, Austria. Her studies took her to Amsterdam, Vienna and New York. Currently based in Vienna, she has made a name for herself as a versatile instrumentalist on the saxophone, flute, and clarinet, as well as a performer and composer for ensembles in various musical contexts. Highlights include domestic and international concerts with Peter Herbert, Marianne Mendt, Mathias Rüegg, Gerry Hemingway, Wolter Wierbos, Sean Bergin and Simon Nabatov.
Sophie’s musical journey brought her to perform in various venues and festivals in Europe and abroad, among others the Jazzfestival Saalfelden, North Sea Jazz Festival, Bimhuis Amsterdam, Nardis Jazz Club Istanbul, and included collaborations with musicians from South Africa, India, Latin America, Africa and the USA.

As a composer, she received a number of grants from the federal chancellery of Austria and the City of Vienna. Several of her compositions were premiered at the international contemporary music festival Wien Modern. Jazz festivals such as Outreach Schwaz have commissioned her to compose. She has written music for theater projects in various line-ups, and is frequently asked to contribute compositions to the repertoire of bands she performs in.
Her work as a leader is praised for its power, authenticity and interplay, in media such as Jazz Podium and London Jazz News. She has released numerous critically acclaimed recordings, three of them with her longtime musical partner, clarinetist Oğuz Büyükberber. She can also be heard as
a sidewoman on various albums. Sophie teaches saxophone, flute and clarinet at Klangwerk Wien and is a lecturer at jazz and improvisation workshops.