Rüdiger Oppermann

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.

A peripatetic musician devoted to exploring all musical cultures, Oppermann has collaborated with folk musicians from around the world (particularly Africa and Asia), 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.

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.

Oppermann's records usually feature some solo performances on the wire-strung Celtic harp alongside band pieces involving folk musicians from around the world (playing traditional instruments), and sometimes a few jazz musicians, to accompany him.

On the sleeve notes to his record 'Unchain my Harp' (1994), he described himself as seeking to create "fresh buds on old trees with strong roots."