FRIEDEL, Constanze

Constanze Friedel is an acclaimed German jazz violinist, composer, and vocalist based in Viena, known for bridging the gap between classical structures and expressive jazz improvisation. She studied classical violin at the Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber in Dresden. During this time, she began collaborating with jazz department students, igniting her interest in improvised music after feeling constrained by strictly classical boundaries. She relocated to Vienna in the autumn of 2014 to study under the renowned jazz violinist Christoph Mallinger. Friedel’s musical style stands out because she treats the jazz violin with the acoustic "sound and assertiveness" typically associated with a saxophone. Her compositions heavily feature odd meters (complex time signatures), fusion, rock, classical textures, and Arabic musical influences.