Markus Becker (pianist)

Markus Becker (born 13 May 1963) is a German pianist and academic teacher. He is focused on chamber music, and on piano concertos from the time around 1900. His recording of the complete piano works by Max Reger earned him awards. He is also a jazz pianist, and has been professor of piano and chamber music at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover since 1993.

Markus Becker
Born (1963-05-13) 13 May 1963
Osnabrück, Lower Saxony, Germany
EducationMusikhochschule Hannover
Occupations
  • Classical pianist
  • Jazz pianist
  • Academic teacher
OrganizationsHochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover
WebsiteOfficial website

Career

Becker was born in Osnabrück, the son of Peter Becker and his wife Bärbel. Both his parents were music educators; his father would become president of the Musikhochschule Hannover. Becker attended school in Hannover,[1] and sang as a member of the Knabenchor Hannover.[2] He studied at the Musikhochschule Hannover with Karl-Heinz Kämmerling.[2] He was appointed professor of piano and chamber music there in 1993.[3]

From the 1990s, Becker became known by performances, recordings and teaching master classes, in Salzburg, Weiden and Leipzig, among others. He recorded the complete piano works by Max Reger, which earned him a 2000 Deutscher Schallplattenpreis and the Echo Klassik for the best solo recording of music from the 19th century.[4] The recording was awarded another Echo Klassik in 2001, for the complete edition of 12 CDs.[2][4] His recordings were reviewed in international trade papers such as American Record Guide[5] and Gramophone.[6] He received the Opus Klassik in 2019 for the best concerto recording from the 19th century, for Reger's Piano Concerto.[7]

Becker played chamber music with oboist Albrecht Mayer, clarinetist Sharon Kam,[2] violinist Kolja Blacher, violist Nils Mönkemeyer,[8] cellists Adrian Brendel[8] and Alban Gerhardt,[9] and pianists Igor Levit[9] and Hinrich Alpers. He has played as a jazz pianist in programs and recordings such as Kiev/Chicago and Freistil.[9]

Awards

Recordings

References
  1. Harden, Ingo a.o.: PianistenProfile. 600 Interpreten. Ihre Biografie, ihr Stil, ihre Aufnahmen, Kassel/Basel 2008, p. 68.
  2. "Am Mikrofon / Der Pianist Markus Becker" (in German). Deutschlandfunk. 25 November 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  3. "Prof. Markus Becker / Professor für Klavier und Kammermusik" (in German). Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover. 2018. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  4. Echo Klassik HMTMH
  5. Piano Concerto No 1 in C minor, Op 89 Hyperion Records
  6. Haydn Piano Sonatas, Vol 2 (Markus Becker) Gramophone
  7. "Opus Klassik price awarded to Markus Becker" (in German). Reger Institute. 13 October 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  8. "Markus Becker". seattlechambermusic.org. 25 November 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  9. "Markus Becker / Biografie" (in German). DSO. April 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  10. "Markus Becker: Alleingang (release concert)" (in German). Sendesaal Bremen. 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  11. Sillitoe, Stuart (May 2021). "Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) / Solitude: Piano Works Volume II". musicweb-international.com. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  12. Schäufele, Paul (25 November 2020). "Mit aufgeschürften Händen". Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  13. "The Romantic Piano Concerto 79 - Pfitzner & Braunfels". prestomusic.com. 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  14. Kraus, Richard (December 2018). "Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) / Piano Sonatas". musicweb-international.com. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  15. "Hindemith: Piano Sonatas". prestomusic.com. 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
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