Simone Kopmajer

Simone Kopmajer, an Austrian jazz singer born in 1981 in Schladming, started her musical journey at age eight with piano lessons. She was introduced to jazz through her father's band and decided to focus on singing at seventeen following advice from Sheila Jordan. Kopmajer studied at the University for Music and Performing Arts Graz under Mark Murphy. Her career took off when she won the New York Stipendium of the Hans Koller Prize in 2003, leading her to record her debut album Moonlight Serenade in the USA at age 21. This album achieved success in Japan. Kopmajer went on to release several albums for the Japanese Venus label, collaborating with notable musicians such as George Mraz and Houston Person. She has toured extensively across North America, Southeast Asia, Australia, and Europe.