Markus Burger

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Markus Burger
BrasialMarkus Burger Boesendorfer Image by Cibelle Burger-topaz-sharpen-denoise-color-face-lighting-upscale-4x.jpg
Burger in mid-2023
Background information
Born Wittlich, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
Origin Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Genres Jazz, new-age, chamber
Occupation(s) Musician, composer, music educator, record producer
Instrument Piano
Years active1980–present
Labels Challenge Records, Jazzline, Cadence Jazz, Edition Hänssler
Website markusburger.com

Markus Burger is a German pianist, composer, and music educator. Since 2001, he has lived in California, where he works at Fullerton College and San Diego University. [1]

Contents

Early life and education

Burger began playing piano at age six. [2] 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. [3] [4] He also studied at the Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada in 1993, where he met Kenny Wheeler. [5]

Career

Burger has performed as a soloist and a collaborator on jazz and classical music albums. [6] 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. [5]

Burger founded the trio Accidental Tourists, which was recorded for Challenge Records. [7] In 2005 he founded the North Atlantic Jazz Alliance. [8] His collaboration with saxophonist Jan von Klewitz, under the name Spiritual Standards, has resulted in five album releases on Jazzline and Challenge Records, featuring elements of jazz and classical music. [9]

Teaching roles

Burger is a full professor at Fullerton College, where he also serves as the director of the Music Technology Studies program. [10] He has also worked as an adjunct professor of music entrepreneurship, piano, and composition at San Diego State University (SDSU). [11]

Health struggles

From 1999 to 2002, Burger experienced a serious illness. During this period, he recorded the solo piano album Ultreya.[ citation needed ]

Awards and recognition

Discography

References

  1. ↑ "Markus Burger | Markus Burger" (in German). 2019-05-15. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
  2. 1 2 "Markus Burger (USA)". Home. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  3. ↑ "Markus Burger | Folkwang Jazz" (in German). Retrieved 2025-04-17.
  4. 1 2 3 "Markus Burger | Blüthner World". bluethnerworld.com. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
  5. 1 2 BV, New Arts International. "The Banff Sessions - A Tribute to Kenny Wheeler by Accidental Tourists (Kenny Wheeler, Markus Burger, Jan von Klewitz)". Challenge Records International. Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  6. ↑ "Markus Burger (USA)". Home. Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  7. ↑ Silsbee, Kirk (March 2013). "Accidental Tourists: The L.A. Sessions". Down Beat. Vol. 80, no. 3. p. 66.
  8. ↑ deutschlandfunkkultur.de (2008-10-20). "Deutsch-amerikanische Jazz-Freundschaft". Deutschlandfunk Kultur (in German). Retrieved 2025-06-06.
  9. 1 2 "Spiritual Standards". www.spiritualstandards.com. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
  10. ↑ Department, Fullerton College Music. "Markus Burger | Faculty | FC Music". music.fullcoll.edu. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
  11. ↑ "Markus Burger". music.sdsu.edu. Retrieved 2025-03-26.
  12. ↑ Rosenschild, Ilse (2020-06-28). "Verleihung des Kulturpreises des Kreises an Markus Burger am 17. Dezember: Der Pianist, der Preis und das Meer: Preisverleihung an Markus Burger im Dezember". Volksfreund (in German). Retrieved 2025-06-06.

General and cited references

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