Rüdiger Oppermann

Who is Rüdiger Oppermann?

Rüdiger Oppermann is a German harpist and experimental musician. He specializes in the Celtic harp, which he began playing in 1973. His instrument, a custom-made clàrsach, has 38 gold-plated bronze strings and a special mechanism that allows him to bend notes in a manner akin to blues musicians; a style that he often adopts in his improvisations. He has also developed electro-acoustic instruments.

A peripatetic musician devoted to exploring all musical cultures, Oppermann has collaborated with folk musicians from around the world, who he often invites to play at his Klangwelten music festival in Germany, yet he favours an experimental approach in playing traditional melodies, often involving improvisation, unusual instrumentation and sometimes even electronics, including digital-delay effects. He has written and performed music for dance theatre productions and small jazz-influenced combos in addition to folk music ensembles.

A musician with a wide and eclectic artistic vision, he has dedicated his compositions to artists as diverse as medieval mystics such as Rumi and Hildegard von Bingen, fellow harpists such as Alan Stivell and Deborah Conant, and modern-day rock and jazz improvisors on electric guitar. He also recorded one album with jazz harpist Park Stickney. Oppermann's records usually feature some solo performances on the wire-strung Celtic harp alongside band pieces involving folk musicians from around the world, and sometimes a few jazz musicians, to accompany him.