ENGLISH
Welcome to my website!
I am a Cologne-based singer songwriter, vocal coach and choir leader (jazz/pop).
Here you find more about my music, projects, vocal lessons and coachings.
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„A remarkable artist!"
JAZZTHING, Rolf Thomas
„Anna Maria Schuller shows courage and taste, while using the whole spectrum of vocal jazz.“ JAZZPODIUM Jörg Konrad
„A vocal chameleon creating colors by inflection alone... Breathtaking!“
CRITICALJAZZ.COM Brent Black

ABOUT
Anna Maria Schuller lives as a freelance musician in Cologne, is teaching at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt and is regularly booked as vocal coach and choir leader.
Grown up in Bavaria, close to Nueremberg, she started her musical path in several choirs including little solo parts, concert trips and piano lessons. Followed by leading parts in regional musical theater productions, an education on church organ and in singing, she moved to a secondary school with a focus on music. Afterwards she started studying jazz singing at Hochschule für Musik Wuerzburg and continued at Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where she graduated successfully in 2010. Meanwhile the mezzo soprano was a member of the Bundesjazzorchester under direction of Bill Dobbins, Ed Partyka, Jiggs Wigham and Mike Herting with a few festival appearances. With the Amsterdam based Anna Maria Schuller 4tet she toured through Germany and The Netherlands and played a.o. at the jazzahead in Bremen and the Bundesweites Jazznachwuchsfestival in Leipzig. Later she went to New York for a few weeks of private studies. With her Cologne based quintet Ana Mai she released her debut album “Blossom” on Neuklang Records. Next to a few duo concerts with Philipp Braenswig on guitar, she developed a program with choreographer Romy Schwarzer, which was focussed on the collaboration of contemporary dance, voice and performance. From 2018 till 2020 Anna Maria was the choir leader of Songrise Jazzchor Erftstadt, who received the title “Meisterchor” at the „Sing and Swing“-festival of the Chorverband NRW and realizied several concerts. Next to that she successfully studied Choral Conducting Jazz/Pop (Level B) at Bundesakademie Wolfenbüttel.
Recently the singer produced the first album of her new project MAI solo, which will be probably released in the end of 2022.
PROJECTS
MAI solo
Indie Pop-Jazz
MAI solo (voice, keys, effects) is a solo-project by Anna Maria Schuller that deals with the current topics of our time. Musically inspired by singer-songwriters, vocal sounds and improvised music, the program is dedicated to themes like climate crisis, xenophobia and communication. The new originals and short a cappella interludes will be probably released in the end of 2022. The multifarious use of the voice is accompanied on piano and by rhodes- and synthesizer-sounds, supplemented by electronics. A pure, colorful audio experience.
ANA MAI „Blossom“
Lyrical Indie Jazz
ANNA MARIA SCHULLER vocals, composition
STEFAN KARL SCHMID saxophone, clarinet
PHILIPP BRAEMSWIG guitar
MATTHIAS AKEO NOWAK double bass
OLIVER REHMANN drums
Ana Mai and its debut album „Blossom“ create an atmospheric indie jazz between melancholy and a new start, which tells onomatopoeically from the peculiarities of life.
In her songs she portrays places, relations and emotions, which have a certain impression but don’t last forever. The album title “Blossom”, inspired by the Hermann Hesse poem “Stufen”, reflects this fact very well. Besides diverse musical influences the use of the voice plays an important role, too. The songs deal e.g. with new beginnings, desire, letting go and the topic time – a 3-part cycle on the basis of Michael Ende’s fairy tale “Momo”.
The band combines lyrical themes with lively instrumental jazz, and contrasts open sound collages with driving grooves. The music is profound and sensual. It touches the audience from the very first tune. All musicians narrate, improvise and have the freedom of individual expansion equally.
JAZZTHING „This album is grand“ Rolf Thomas (02/14)
STEREOPLAY CD tip 8/10 stars (02/14)
KULTURNEWS.DE CD tip 5/6 stars (12/13)
SWR 2 CD of the week
MELODIVA.DE CD tip (02/14)
THE FINAL BEST OF 2013 LIST ON WWW.CRITICALJAZZ.COM
Neuklang Records, 2013
Order via annamaria.schuller(at)gmx.de
Appearances a.o. Kölner Musiknacht, JazzTube-Festival Bonn, Jazzschmiede Düsseldorf, Jazzclub Lindau, Cave 61 e.V. Heilbronn, IG-Jazz Klappmuehl' Mannheim, Kulturverein KiCK Hersbruck, DB Museum Nürnberg, Studio 672 Köln, artheater Köln, Bürgerhaus Altensteig
TANZ & STIMME Duo „Raumsinn trifft Lichtzeit“
ROMY SCHWARZER contemporary dance, concept, performance
ANNA MARIA SCHULLER voice, composition, performance
2012 residence of the Michael Douglas Collective with performances at the Arkadas Theater Cologne and ,Quartiert am Hafen‘
2013 Tanzwoche Dresden
https://www.romyschwarzer.net/raumsinntrifftlichtzeit
ANNA MARIA SCHULLER 4TET
Amsterdam 2008-2010
ANNA MARIA SCHULLER vocals, composition, arrangement
CHRISTIAN PABST piano
JOAO HASSELBERG double bass
ANDREAS KLEIN drums
„An eclectic bliss for the listener” HERSBRUCKER ZEITUNG, Anselm Stieber (05/10)
Appearances a.o. Jazzahead Bremen, Jazznachwuchsfestival St. Moritzbastei Leipzig, TUFA Trier, Bimhuis Amsterdam, Jazzclub Bamberg, DB Museum Nürnberg, Theater fiftyfifty Erlangen, Startbahn Jazz Straubing, Dizzy Rotterdam, St. Klarakirche Nürnberg, MUZ Nürnberg, bflat Berlin, Badcuyp Amsterdam, Loft Nürnberg
COACHING
I work as a freelance vocal coach and choir leader (jazz/pop), offer privat lessons and coachings for singers, choirs, vocal ensembles as well as educational programs and workshops.
For requests, further details or questions please contact me via annamaria.schuller(at)gmx.de
LESSONS
We all have an individual voice, which means the way of learning and teaching is individual, too. Next to the skills of singing and making music, I deeply support the wishes, needs and strengths of every single student/client.
For reaching personal goals, it is an important part to trust, be curious and have courage.
”How to practise” is an essential element, which means to find a way, a routine and to go for it.
OFFER
Lessons à 45min / 60min / 90min
In Cologne, Erftstadt, on the way and online via Zoom
All levels: Beginners, advanced, professionals
As preparation for entrance examinations, competitions and castings
SUBJECTS
Voice technique
Repertoire jazz/pop (various styles)
Articulation, interpretation, phrasing
Rhythm & Groove (incl. timing)
Improvisation (scat singing, adlibs, ornamentals)
Microphone technique, effects, loopstation
Performance and stage presence
Stage anxiety (mental training, bodywork)
Piano for song accompaniment
Songwriting, arranging
Music theorie, ear training, harmonics
Creativity, motivation, profil formation
CHOIRS, ENSEMBLES, WORKSHOPS
When we sing and learn together, we connect. My motivation is that all voices complement each other and merge... It is a pleasure, when a group and its sound grow in the process and the interaction between singers, conducter and later the audience arises something special.
OFFER
Choir and ensemble coachings à 60min / 90min / 120 min, for a day or weekend
Workshops and courses in small groupsOnline via Zoom
SUBJECTS
Voice technique
Repertoire jazz/pop (a capella / accompaniet)
Timbre, intonation, blending
Rhythm & Groove
Phrasing
Articulation, pronunciation
Interpretation
Performance, stage presence, staging
Songwriting and arranging in a group
Ear training, harmonics
Profil formation
REFERENCES
Coachings: Digital EUROTREFF (Internationales Kinder- und Jugendchor-Festival des AMJ), Chorverband NRW, Internationaler Chor der Universität Bonn, d’acCHORd, fränk'n feel (Pop und Jazz Auswahlchor FSB), Akademie Off-Theater NRW, Jazzclub Trier Osterworkshop, various a cappella ensembles (quartet, quintet, nonet), social programs and group lessons
Choirs: Songrise Jazzchor Erftstadt e.V., Musikschule Euskirchen (children choir, gospel choir, female and mixed popchoir), Octett Eumotions
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