Markus Burger



Markus Burger (born September 30, 1966) is a German pianist, composer and music educator.

He started playing the piano at age 6. Burger studied in Hilversum with Rob Madna and Tine Schneider and in Hamburg with Rainer Schnelle and Udo Dahmen.

He continued his education at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, Germany.

He studied with Peter Herborn, John Taylor, Simon Nabatov and Uli Beckerhoff.

Burger was awarded a scholarship to Banff, Alberta where he continued his education with Kenny Wheeler, Kenny Werner, Mick Goodrick among others.

Burger's live concert with Kenny Wheeler, Norma Winstone, Stefan Lotterman, Jan von Klewitz, Felix Astor and Martin Gjakonovksi was released as a CD by Challenge Records in 2016.

Awards:

Burger won the Jazz piano competition in Rhineland-Palate in 1989.

Burger was a finalist at the Martial Solal competition in Paris in 1993.

Burger was a finalist of the composers competition in Monaco in 1997.

Burger received the Bach Price of the City of Erfurt in 2000.

In 2020 he was awarded the Culture Price of his home county of Bernkastel-Wittlich.

During 1999–2002 he had a life threatening illness and recorded solo piano pieces for the album Ultreya. He is the founder of the trio Accidental Tourists, which has recorded for Challenge Records. He is the founder of the North Atlantic Jazz Alliance and the European Quartett Septer Bourbon, which recorded for Jazz Line Records. His Duo Spiritual Standards with saxophonist Jan von Klewitz recorded albums for Jazzline Records and Challenge Records.

In a recent interview with Christoph Spendel for the german language publication "Tastenwelt" Spendel described Burger's playing on his latest release "The Vienna Session". Spendel wrote that "Burger elevates the meditative playing style of Ludovico Einaudi to a higher more flexible level, creating honest and deeply personal compositions".

Discography

 * 1996 Fishing for Compliments Septer Bourbon
 * 1999 Spiritual Standards with Jan von Klewitz
 * 2000 Spiritual Standards [Secunda] with Jan von Klewitz
 * 2001 The Smile of the Honeycakehorse Septer Bourbon
 * 2002 Ultreya
 * 2004  Markus Burger, John Tchicai & Matt Marucci- Genesis (Cadence Jazz Records)
 * 2005 Inside.Outside with Jan von Klewitz
 * 2006 NAJA North Atlantic Jazz Alliance
 * 2007 Tertia with Jan von Klewitz
 * 2007 Vesprae Ensemble Katharsis
 * 2008 Quarta - Spiritual Standards from the New World with Jan von Klewitz
 * 2012 Accidental Tourists: The L.A. Sessions – Markus Burger (piano), Joe LaBarbera (drums), Bob Magnusson (bass) – Challenge Records
 * 2016 Accidental Tourists: The Banff Sessions - Markus Burger (piano), Kenny Wheeler (trumpet), Jan von Klewitz (saxophonist), Norma Winstone (vocals) – Challenge
 * 2018  Spiritual Standards Quinta, Songs inspired by Martin Luther (Challenge Records)
 * 2019  Accidental Tourists: The Alaska Sessions- Markus Burger (piano), Bob Magnusson (bass), Peter Erskine (drums) (Challenge Records)
 * 2022 The Vienna Sessions, Markus Burger Solo (Challenge Records)