Markus Burger

Markus Burger is a German pianist, composer, and music educator. Since 2001, he has lived in California, where he works at Fullerton College and University of [California, San Diego|San Diego University].

Early life and education

Burger began playing piano at age six. He studied at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, Germany, under the guidance of Peter Herborn, John Taylor, Simon Nabatov, and Uli Beckerhoff. He later graduated with a Master in Performing Arts. He also studied at the Banff [Centre for Arts and Creativity|Banff Centre] in Alberta, Canada in 1993, where he met Kenny Wheeler.

Career

Burger has performed as a soloist and a collaborator on jazz and classical music albums. In 2016, Challenge Records released an album titled Accidental Tourists, featuring Burger with Kenny Wheeler, Norma Winstone, Stefan Lottermann, Jan von Klewitz, Felix Astor, and Martin Gjakonovski. This album was part of The Banff Sessions - A Tribute to Kenny Wheeler.
Burger founded the trio Accidental Tourists, which was recorded for Challenge Records. In 2005 he founded the North Atlantic Jazz Alliance. His collaboration with saxophonist Jan von Klewitz, under the name Spiritual Standards, resulted in five album releases on Jazzline and Challenge Records, featuring elements of jazz and classical music.

Teaching

Burger is a professor at Fullerton College, where he also serves as the director of the Music Technology Studies program. He has also worked as an adjunct professor of music entrepreneurship, piano, and composition at San Diego State [University College of Arts & Letters|San Diego State University].

Awards and recognitions

In 1993, Burger was a finalist at the Martial Solal Competition in Paris.
In 1997, he was a finalist at the Jazz Composers Composition Competition in Monaco.
In 2000, he received the Bach Prize from the city of Erfurt and performed at the Bach festival in Leipzig and Arnstadt.
In 2019, Austrian piano manufacturer Bösendorfer recognized Burger as one of its featured pianists.
In 2020, Burger won the Culture Prize of his home county, Bernkastel-Wittlich.

Discography

1996: Fishing for Compliments – Septer Bourbon
1999: Spiritual Standards – with Jan von Klewitz
2000: Spiritual Standards – with Jan von Klewitz
2001: The Smile of the Honeycakehorse – Septer Bourbon
2002: Ultreya
2004: Genesis – Markus Burger, John Tchicai, Matt Marucci
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, Joe LaBarbera, Bob Magnusson
2016: Accidental Tourists: The Banff Sessions – Markus Burger, Kenny Wheeler, Jan von Klewitz, Norma Winstone
2018: Spiritual Standards Quinta, Songs inspired by Martin Luther
2019: Accidental Tourists: The Alaska Sessions – Markus Burger, Bob Magnusson, Peter Erskine
2022: The Vienna Sessions – Markus Burger

General and cited references

Christoph Spendel, Tastenwelt, March 2022, pp. 12, 13, 16–19.
Ilse Rosenschild, Trierischer Volksfreund, June 28, 2022.