Stefan Heckel

Stefan Heckel (born October 31, 1969 in Graz ) is an Austrian jazz musician ( piano , accordion , composition ) who is also active in the field of new folk music .

Live and act

Steckel grew up in a musical family; the father was part-time choirmaster and chairman of the Styrian Choir, the mother played the piano and guitar and sang in the choir. From the age of six he received piano lessons. At the age of 14 he played with friends in a funk and fusion band . After two years of studying technology, he decided to become a musician and studied jazz piano at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz until 1996 and then composition for a year at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He founded several ensembles, initially with Julian Argüelles the Stefan Heckel Group , with which he has recorded four albums with his own works since 1998. He also worked with Nenad Vasilić's Balkan Band , Sainkho Namtchylak , John Edwards , Frank Gratkowski , Annette Giesriegl, Angela Tröndles Mosaik and Irina Karamarković ( Songs from Kosovo ). In Vienna he founded the Improvised Music Nights , which he directed for several years. There was also collaboration with the painter Giulio Camagni and the children's book author Heinz Janisch .

As an accordionist, he belongs to the Belofour Accordeon Quartet (CD of the same name) (alongside Paul Schuberth, Stefan Sterzinger and Nikola Zaric) , to the international Mélange Oriental and to the Vienna accordion , who perform with Otto Lechner . He formed a duo with the harpist Monika Stadler .

Steckel has been teaching at the Jazz Institute of the Art University Graz since 2000; Between 2012 and 2017 he was chairman of the “Pop & Jazz Platform” of the European Association of Conservatoires (AEC). Currently (2019) he is a member of the AEC working group "Diversity, Identity & Inclusiveness."

In 2010 he was awarded the Harry Pepl Prize.

Web links

• Web presence
• Jazz musician with ethnic ties (portrait)
• Stefan Heckel at Discogs (English)