The album "En suspens – In Suspension" deals musically with a feeling that is part of the COVID-19 pandemic and the present time. Whether waiting for political decisions and developments, due to the lack of long-term life planning, or the looming threat of a serious illness, living in a suspended state has been a compelling companion in recent years. Even war, illness, or other crises can trigger perceived states of suspension. Inspired by the experiences of the past years, Carolin Danner has made a personal selection of music for this album that musically and emotionally reflects the state of being "In Suspension" and the special circumstances of the present.

The various pleasant and unpleasant aspects of being in the moment are illuminated musically, such as through miniatures that capture the moment, like György Ligeti's "En suspens" or Violeta Dinescu's "Sonnenstrahl," a premiere recording. Improvisations written down by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in his Fantasy in C Minor bring particularly intense moments from his concerts into the present; two floating Nocturnes in C-sharp Minor evoke night moods by composer Frédéric Chopin. Claude Debussy leaves snapshots from his compositional sketchbook with "...D'un Cahier d'esquisses," while his work "L'Isle joyeuse" is a moment of pure happiness. While Béla Bartók's Suite op. 14 leaves the listener in a state of suspension, Johannes Brahms' late piano work op. 119 works its way through transcendent Intermezzos from the unknown into reality and ends with a gripping Rhapsody. The works of Debussy, Bartók, and Brahms each have a biographical connection to personal crises of the composers.

"En suspens" is a very personal compilation of piano music that emotionally deals with the special circumstances of our present and, especially in such times, emphasizes an important function of music: expressing and reflecting emotions.

"Sonorous yearning for freedom, with the force of expression and capricious construction delight. Extraordinary!" writes the Süddeutsche Zeitung about Carolin Danner's second CD titled "Contrast Program." Both solo albums, "Contrast Program" (2017) and "Spanish Impressions" (2014), released on the Animato label, were awarded CD recommendations by Hessian Radio and received excellent reviews in other prestigious media such as Fonoforum, Pianonews, Neue Musikzeitung, and Deutschlandradio Kultur.

Carolin Danner is a sought-after pianist and performs numerous solo and chamber music concerts with renowned musicians in Germany and abroad. Engagements have taken her to important concert halls such as Liederhalle Stuttgart, Stadthalle Heidelberg, or the Allerheiligen Hofkirche in Munich, and as a soloist with orchestras such as the Philharmonie Südwestfalen and the Philharmonic Orchestra Budweis. She has received scholarships (e.g., Live Music Now, Villa Musica Rheinland-Pfalz, Leopold-Mozart-Kuratorium Augsburg) and awards at international competitions, including piano competitions "Un ricetto in musica" in Candelo, "Palma d'oro" in Finale Ligure, and the 11th International Mozart Piano Competition in Frascati (Rome). She completed her studies, including a master's class diploma, with teachers such as Christine Olbrich in Augsburg, Prof. Hans-Peter Stenzl in Stuttgart, and Prof. Silke-Thora Matthies in Würzburg. She also received significant artistic impulses in masterclasses with Igor Shukov and Menahem Pressler.

Carolin Danner's playing is praised in the press as "wise and calculated with a good sense of sound and stylistic" (Hessian Radio) and "refreshingly clearly contoured and expressive at the same time" (Pianonews). The pianist also stands out for her extraordinary concert programs, which she moderates herself. The contemporary Spanish composer José Zaraté dedicated a piano work to her.

Carolin Danner has served as a judge in music competitions and is the artistic director of the Schloßkonzerte Blutenburg. From 2011 to 2018, she held a teaching assignment for piano at the University of Catholic Church Music in Regensburg. Since 2018, she has been teaching a piano class at the Leopold Mozart Center at the University of Augsburg.

For more information, visit: www.carolin-danner.de