Julia Hülsmann wins the Berlin Jazz Prize: “Her charisma has an impact far beyond the Berlin area”

The jury wrote as justification: “The pianist and composer Julia Hülsmann does not only make her music for one part of the jazz scene, she connects many scenes and opens up in many directions. In a gentle and insistent way, she speaks to an audience far beyond the jazz bubbles.”

It goes on to say that her compositions are characterized by lightness and that she has demonstrated consistency in her artistic work with her own ensembles. As a teacher, she supports the young generation and is also involved in several committees for the betterment of jazz musicians. “Their appeal extends far beyond the Berlin area.”

Julia Hülsmann was born in Bonn in 1968, was initially a classical pianist and went to Berlin in 1991 to study jazz piano at the University of the Arts. She wrote her doctorate on the self-image of jazz pianists. In 1997 she founded her own trio and released her debut album in 2000. In New York she worked with, among others, Rebekka Bakken and set poems by EE Cummings to music.

Compositions for piano and string orchestra as well as string quartet expanded her musical spectrum. Julia Hülsmann created her quartet in 2012 as an extension of her trio, but also worked with big bands. She has released several albums and was awarded the German Jazz Award for “Scattering Poems”.

In recent years she has also made a name for herself internationally at major jazz festivals and on many tours as far as Peru.