Markus Becker (pianist)


Markus Becker 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.

Career

Becker was born in Osnabrück, the son of and his wife Bärbel. Both his parents were music educators; his father would become president of the Musikhochschule Hannover. Becker attended school in Hannover, and sang as a member of the Knabenchor Hannover. He studied at the Musikhochschule Hannover with Karl-Heinz Kämmerling. He was appointed professor of piano and chamber music there in 1993.
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. The recording was awarded another Echo Klassik in 2001, for the complete edition of 12 CDs. His recordings were reviewed in international trade papers such as American Record Guide and Gramophone. He received the Opus Klassik in 2019 for the best concerto recording from the 19th century, for Reger's Piano Concerto.
Becker played chamber music with oboist Albrecht Mayer, clarinetist Sharon Kam, violinist Kolja Blacher, violist Nils Mönkemeyer, cellists and Alban Gerhardt, and pianists Igor Levit and. He has played as a jazz pianist in programs and recordings such as Kiev/Chicago and Freistil.

Awards

Recordings

Aleingang, jazz improvisations Solitude: Piano Works Volume II by Haydn