Musical Lesson: ANA ÄŒOP & THILO SEEVERS – Acts

Ana ÄŒop & Thilo Seevers

For centuries, composers, improvisers and players have made use of the intimate pairing
of piano and voice for this setting allows so much room for stories to be told, emotions to
be conveyed and personalities to be expressed.
Choosing a repertoire of not necessarily socially acceptable, easy-going or nostalgic
songs, vocalist Ana ÄŒop and pianist Thilo Seevers decided to play in this setting in order
to aim for maximal focus on the story that lies within the lyrics, leaving the musical
components such as form, harmony or time open for tweaks in order to underline the
meaning of the words. In ever changing on-the-spot-arrangements they reveal their
personal thoughts and feelings on songs, whose lyrics reflect real life, tackle controversial
issues or just have completely changed their meaning compared to when they were
written.
Exploring and extending the rich tradition of the piano-vocal duo, both musicians make
use of a wide tonal color range, not sticking to the controversial division of roles in this
musical setting. Since the focus is on the lyrics, Ana decided to omit the conventional
vocal scatting, aiming for a deeper expression in improvisation based on words instead.
The accompanying part of the piano is turned into one of an equal narrator of the story,
setting the mood and casting unconventional lights on songs we have heard so many
times.
In November2019, Ana and Thilo recorded their debut album, having worked on
their concept for more than two years.