Bio
Wanja Rosenthal is a guitarist and composer based in Brooklyn, New York. He was born in Vienna, Austria where he finished his bachelor studies in guitar at the University for Music and Performing Arts. In 2024, he moved to New York where he started his masters in the jazz program at City College. There, focussing on composition his original music thrives from being around the city's inspirational and diverse art scene.
Rosenthal's guitar playing style is connected to his compositional work. On the one hand, he is highly influenced by jazz idols like Kurt Rosenwinkel, Tom Harrell and Bill Evans. Moreover, his playing draws upon various musical inspiration, ranging from Brazilian music to piano pieces from the classical impressionism era. Where there is space for virtuosity, he always keeps an eye on the broad musical situation. Here, the aspect of melodic character strongly defines his approach to composition and improvisation.
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In the year of 2022, he spent a year of studies at the Hochschule for Music and Dance Cologne. There, his musical creative process reached a new peak, influenced by different surroundings of musicians and teachers. By this time, he got to know the Cologne-based musicians Adrian Gallet, Daniel Oetz Salcines, Mathieu Clement. The constant musical exchange with them lead to a studio session in February 2023. With the created debut album “LÜFPYRÜN”, for the first time, Rosenthal releases his compositional work under his own name.
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In Vienna and New York, Wanja Rosenthal participates in various projects around the cities' diverse jazz scenes. Going along with the formerly described albums’ idea, his creative approach especially thrives in small bands. In duo, trio and quartet combination concerts he embraces the flexibilities and possibilities of his instrument with his individual approach.
