Improvising… is writing… is Oropa
Named after a remote sanctuary in the Italian Alps, “Oropa” was formed when pianist Joe Thompson and harpist Seána Davey were brought together by a mutual friend and yoga teacher, Anna Ferla to accompany her yoga class. The brief was to create music which could compliment the ebb and flow within her sessions.
The piano and harp formed an effortless partnership. As they worked together these versatile musicians from two very different backgrounds discovered they shared the same approach to writing and improvising. They wasted no time in getting into the recording studio and Oropa was born.
The result is the super chill-out, meditative and contemplative “Into the Oasis”, an album which reaches in, rather than out, in order to relax and reassure. This first album features the remarkable flute playing of guest artist Eliza Marshall, the first of many future Oropa collaborations. Further planned partnerships include the tabla and the violin, but the road ahead is wide open and the choices are many.
This album is ideal for meditation and relaxation, but the duo also hope to explore the wider underscoring potential of their unique piano/harp blend of musical ideas in the TV and film world.
Written and recorded in London, 2018 at Porcupine Studios.