STOA was founded in 1991. Olaf Parusel (comp./arr.) looked at this time for a new way to connect his musical and philosophical thoughts. He found a voice in Conny Levrow. In the same year the first song "Stoa" was released on the compilation "From Hypnotic ... to Hypersonic" (Hyperium) The CD "Urthona" (Hyperium) followed in 1992. This CD was selling more than 14.000 copies worldwide.
Both members worked a lot in other projects in the years before. Conny played the violin for more than 10 years and performed in many orchestras. Besides this she sang in some classical choruses and as a soloist. She is familiar with barock and romantic compositions like G.F. Handel, E. Grieg or Pergolesi. Olaf was in his childhood a member of the "Stadtsingechor Halle" the oldest chorus of the world. Later he played in many musical projects and bands. He also composed for TV. He studied musicology and philosophy.
In 1994 the second CD "Porta VIII" (Hyperium) was released. This CD is an album with a concept based on the fairy tale "Ariadne et Barbe Bleue" by Maurice Maeterlinck. But Porta VIII is a continuation of the original fairy tale. this album too was selling too more than 10.000 worldwide and climbed the mexican charts.
Since 1997 there was a new line-up. Conny left STOA for following her classical career. The new singer is Antje Buchheiser. She has played violin for more than 11 years. And she sings in a classical chorus (The "Hallenser Madrigalisten"). She performed a lot in classical music for example in Germany, Japan, Cuba ...
Another new member since 1996 is Christiane Fischer. She plays the Cello and is singing the second voice at live concerts. STOA signed to the great german publisher Alster Musikverlag.
In 1997 STOA left Hyperium for various reasons.
STOA performed sporadically at special places or events. They played for example at the Wave-Gotik-Treffen in a 100years old and 80 metres high monument of more than 1000 people, at the Zeche Carl in Essen and was on tour in Mexico in 1998 and 2002 (inter alia with the Goethe-Institut).
Since 2001 Mandy Bernhardt is the new voice for sToa.
In 2001 they finished their new Album "Zal". It has been released worldwide first in Mexico at "Samadhi Musik". sToa signed to the german label "Alice in ...". The new CD will be available in Europe / Asia / America / Africa / Australia in June 2002.
