Ophelia Ariadne 

Biography

 

 

Ophelia Ariadne Worbes is a German composer, vocalist, educator, 

improviser, and arranger.

 

She began her studies of improvised singing (jazz singing) at the renowned

Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Weimar and took part in masterclasses with artists

such as Norma Winstone and studied under the mentorship of award-winning

musicians and teachers such as Achim Kaufmann, Frank Möbus, Sebastian Gille,

and Peter Ehwald. Since then, Ophelia Ariadne has participated in international

programs such as the “Caravan Orchestra Orchestra & Choir” in Israel and the

‘VOCAL ART’ festival in Frankfurt, a German-Norwegian project for big band and

choir. She has also launched her own artistic projects with which she has performed

throughout Germany, 

Ophelia Ariadne worked as solo soprano at the State Youth Big Band of Thuringia

with which she performed with the New York Voices program, amongst others.​

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In 2020, she released her debut album “Foreign Scents”, which she presented on radio shows

and which has since been available on all music platforms. This album is a fusion of jazz, pop,

and folk music and includes various instruments such as the violin, double bass, guitar, ukulele,

and charango.

 

In addition, she worked as a vocal teacher at the music school “Musikwerk Erfurt” until the end of 2022 and is now a freelance vocal and music teacher.

 

Ophelia Ariadne studied jazz, flamenco singing and composition at the Taller de Músics in Barcelona under the mentorship of Chicuelo, Paula Dominguez, and Pablo Carrascosa. These studies have influenced her further vocal techniques and compositions, culminating in her final Bachelor project, where she performed a solo set with a loop station using only her voice, as well as a set with her band where she performed other compositions of hers in the style of modern jazz, fusion and Latin jazz.

 

Ophelia Ariadne has been a full scholarship student at Berklee College of Music (Boston, MA), majoring in composition and minoring in film scoring. She is actively involved in student clubs such as the Student National Association of Teachers of Singing and the Society of Composers (SoC). Her focus lies on composing contemporary classical music, writing for different formations from duo to chamber orchestra pieces. Through studies with the chair of composition Richard Carrick, Grammy-winning artist Kris Davis, and various masterclasses with composers like Pulitzer Prize winner Ellen Reid and Nina Young, she is exploring her own compositional style, using extended techniques, tonal and a-tonal music, as well keeping her roots in jazz music.

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Artist Statement

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Growing up in a spiritual household, religion was inextricably linked to music for me. As a teenager, I became involved in church, playing violin in Christian church bands and leading worship in small groups. It was in one of these bands that I began to improvise on my violin. This taught me that music can be alive, that it is created in the moment and connects us to something bigger than ourselves. Later, this opened me up to the world of jazz, a music that is passionate, free, and spiritual. Music became one of the most important parts of my life. My voice became an outlet for my expression. The instrument was me, nothing in between, and it felt like the music came straight from my heart. During my spiritual journey, I came closer to religion but also moved away from it again. However, one of my most important conclusions was that music is eternal.

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Music can capture thoughts, feelings, and characters. We know Beethoven's character through his symphonies, Tchaikovsky's thoughts 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, and it can move people and make them feel understood. That's why I decided to become a musician. I started to study jazz singing and the composition of contemporary music to get insight through various perspectives of music to grow as an artist.

 

My goal is to create music that is unique and that makes people feel not only understood but also deeply moved. My music is a reflection of relevant and timeless themes in our society, such as love, death, grief, and happiness. Music can convey deep thoughts that can hardly be expressed in words. In my compositions, I want to create a balance between the complexity of the music and the accessibility for the listener. Music that people enjoy and that can be played at a small table concert as well as in large arenas. 

I feel a strong desire to evolve and learn new ways of using my voice and of how to compose. Music has changed drastically from generation to generation, and I want to not only be part of that change but also contribute to it and find new ways to understand it. For me, music is spirituality. It connects us to the world and can make 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)