Ophelia Ariadne
Composer | Vocalist | Educator
Biography
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Ophelia Ariadne Worbes is a German composer, vocalist, educator, improviser, and arranger.
She began her studies in improvised singing (jazz voice) at the renowned
Franz Liszt University of Music in Weimar, participating in masterclasses with artists such as
Norma Winstone and studying under award-winning musicians including Achim Kaufmann,
Frank Möbus, Sebastian Gille, and Peter Ehwald. Since then, Ophelia Ariadne has been part of
international programs such as the Caravan Orchestra & Choir in Israel and the VOCAL ART
festival in Frankfurt—a German-Norwegian collaboration for big band and choir.
She has also led her own artistic projects, performing across Germany.
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As solo soprano with the State Youth Big Band of Thuringia, she performed a repertoire of the
New York Voices. In 2020, she released her debut album Foreign Scents—a fusion of jazz, pop,
and folk music featuring violin, double bass, guitar, ukulele, and charango—which was
broadcast on various radio shows and is available on all streaming platforms.
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Ophelia Ariadne worked as a vocal instructor at Musikwerk Erfurt until the end of 2022 and now
works as a freelance vocal and music teacher.
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She further expanded her studies at the Taller de Músics in Barcelona, focusing on jazz,
flamenco singing, and composition under the mentorship of Chicuelo, Paula Dominguez, and
Pablo Carrascosa. This time significantly influenced her vocal technique and compositional voice, culminating in her Bachelor’s final project—a solo set using only her voice and a loop station, alongside a band performance featuring her original compositions in modern jazz, fusion, and Latin jazz styles.
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Currently, Ophelia Ariadne is a full-scholarship student at Berklee College of Music in Boston, majoring in composition and minoring in film scoring. She is an active member of student organizations such as the Student National Association of Teachers of Singing and the Society of Composers (SoC). Her focus lies in contemporary classical composition, writing for diverse ensembles—from duos to chamber orchestras. Through studies with Berklee’s chair of composition Richard Carrick, Grammy-winning pianist Kris Davis, and masterclasses with Pulitzer Prize winner Ellen Reid and composer Nina Young, she is shaping her own compositional language—merging extended techniques, tonal and atonal approaches, and her deep roots in jazz.
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Artist Statement
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Growing up in a spiritual household in Leipzig, Germany, music and religion were deeply intertwined for me. As a teenager, I got involved in church life—playing violin in Christian worship bands and leading small group services. It was in one of those bands that I first began to improvise on my violin. That experience taught me that music can be alive, created in the moment, and can connect us to something greater than ourselves. Later, this path led me to the world of jazz—a genre that is passionate, free, and spiritual. Music became one of the most essential parts of my life. My voice became my truest form of expression. I was the instrument, with nothing in between, and it felt as though the music flowed straight from my heart.
Throughout my spiritual journey, I found myself drawing closer to religion at times, and moving away from it at others. However, one of the most important realizations I came to was that music is eternal.
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Music captures thoughts, emotions, and personalities. We understand Beethoven’s temperament through his symphonies, Tchaikovsky’s introspection through his ballets, and Mozart’s humor through his operas. I can still feel my grandmother’s presence when I play Bach on my violin. Music can outlast people. It can bring joy, move us, and make us feel seen. That’s why I chose to become a musician. I began studying jazz voice and contemporary composition to explore different perspectives and grow as an artist.
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My goal is to create music that is unique and not only helps people feel understood but also deeply moved. My work reflects timeless and relevant themes such as love, death, grief, and happiness. Music can convey deep thoughts that can hardly be expressed in words. In my compositions, I aim to create a balance between musical depth and emotional accessibility. I want to write music that people enjoy—that resonates in both intimate house concerts and large-scale performances.
I have a strong desire to evolve and explore new ways of using my voice and composing. Music is constantly evolving from one generation to the next, and I want to be a part of that evolution—to contribute to it and to discover new ways of understanding it. To me, music is a form of spirituality. It connects us to each other, to the world, and maybe even makes us eternal.
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Scholarships
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Erasmus Stipendium (2022-23)
Deutschlandstipendium (2021-22 and 2022-23)
Berklee World Tour Scholarship, Full Tuition (2023)
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Awards
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Young Composer Showcase Selectee of the Jazz Education Network Conference (January 2025, Atlanta)
