1971 – 1989

Born 1971 in East Berlin into a family of musicians (grandfather composer and instrumentalist, father arranger and pianist); first classical piano lessons, 1977; first composition and music theory lessons, 1981; first composition for trombone and piano, 1982; first jazz piano lessons at the Musikschule Friedrichshain, 1985; first band experiences and public performances, 1986;

1990 – 1999

Graduated from high school with honors, 1990; first trio with own compositions, 1990; piano studies at the Hochschule für Musik “Hanns Eisler” Berlin, 1990-1993; first publication of the composition “Morning Breeze” in the Real Book of International Association of Schools of Jazz, 1992; winner of the international piano improvisation competition in Lithuania, 1992; composition and piano studies at the New School NYC, USA as the first East German student. Lessons with Maria Schneider, Kenny Werner, Joanne Brackeen, Reggie Workman, 1993-1995; performance of the first composition “Fancy Blues” for Jazz Orchestra by the Maria Schneider Orchestra, 1994; concerts in New York City a.o. at the Jazzclub Smalls, 1994-1995; extensive concert tours in trio and piano solo through Europe, 1994-1999; composition studies at the HfM Berlin with Prof. Dr. Wolfram Heicking, 1995-1997; double prize winner at the Hessischer Rundfunk composers‘ competition with performances of the works “Fancy Blues” and “Minotaurus” by the hr-Bigband, 1995 and 1996; teaching position in the jazz department of the HfM Berlin, 1996-2000; festival concerts a.o. at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt and the Leipzig Opera House as part of the Leipzig Jazz Festival, 1996; pianist with the RIAS Big Band, 1996; NDR sponsorship award and studio production of the work “AVUS” for Jazz Orchestra with the NDR Big Band, 1997-1998; concert with the Rolf Kühn Quartet in Leipzig, 1998; commissioned to compose 7 works for Jazz Orchestra by the Berlin Senate, 1999; festival concert “Jazz Focus” with Maria Baptist & the New Jazz Orchestra, 1999;

2000 – 2010

Guest professor at the Hochschule für “Musik Hanns Eisler” Berlin in the department of Historical and Contemporary Theory, 2000-present; 2nd prize at the International Thad Jones Composers Competition for large orchestra in Copenhagen and performances of the work “Ibiza Conversations” by the Danish Radio Jazz Orchestra, 2000; collaboration with Gitte Haenning as pianist, big band leader and arranger. Concerts in Germany and Denmark, 2000-2003; co-production by rbb-kultur of four albums released on her own label, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2010; release of the first trio album “Crazy Dreams” with Ingrid Jensen as guest, 2000; concert at the Rolf-Liebermann Saal in Hamburg with recording by NDR, 2001; festival concerts a.o. Sommerfarben Herrenberg, Lüneburger Jazznights, Illmenauer Jazztage, Jazzfestival Kassel, 2001-2002; Commissioned composition for jazz trio and symphony orchestra by the Vogtland Philharmonic Orchestra, 2002; Private concert for Michael Jackson in Berlin at the Bambi Awards, 2002; World premiere of “Triologie einer Metamorphose” with the Vogtland Philharmonic Orchestra, 2003; Premiere of “Impressions of a Journey” for piano and string orchestra, 2003; solo concert at the Zingst Piano Festival, 2003; commissioned work “Mozart meets Jazz” by the Mittelsächsische Philharmonie, 2004; commissioned work for orchestra and big band by the Jena Philharmonic Orchestra, 2004; world premiere of “Night Scenes for Orchestra & Big Band” with the Jena Philharmonic Orchestra, 2005; Conductor of the Jena Philharmonic and Big Band with Duke Ellington’s “Night Creatures”, 2005; Concert “Mozart meets Jazz” with the Mittelsächsische Philharmonie, 2005; Founding of the own label „Maria Baptist Music“ in which all own productions are released, 2005; Concert at the Chamber Music Festival in Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2005; Release of the first piano solo album “Sometimes Alone” with extensive Germany-wide tour, 2005; Commissioned arrangements of LaGaylia Frazier for voice and symphony orchestra with performances in Sweden, 2006; Release of the trio album “Music for my Trio”, 2006; Premiere of the chamber music composition “Short Trip” with ensemble echo in Berlin conducted by Konstantia Gourzi, 2007; Release of the album „Pierrot Lunaire op. 21 by Arnold Schoenberg with jazz interludes“ with the opus21 musikplus ensemble conducted by Konstantia Gourzi, 2007; Release of the Fado-Jazz album “Sinal” with Telmo Pires with own compositions and arrangements of traditional Fado songs, 2009; Europe-wide concerts with the Fado-Jazz program a. o. in the Admiralspalast Berlin, 2008-2010; Release of the trio album “Spring in Berlin” with festival concerts, e.g. at the Kurt-Weill Festival, 2010-2011; Conducting the Reykjavik Big Band and concerts at the Reykjavik Jazz Festival in Iceland, 2010;

2011 – 2017

As the first woman conductor of the BundesjazzOrchester, 2011; commission of 10 works for jazz orchestra from the German Music Council, 2011; concerts on the main stage at the Jazzfest Berlin, 2011; TV broadcast of the concert at the Jazzfestival Viersen by WDR3, 2011; Release of the album „City Grooves“ with funding from WDR and German Music Council, 2011; Nomination with the ECHO Jazz for “City Grooves”, 2011; Piano solo concert on the main stage of the classical music festival Oldenburger Promenade and at the Jazz Days at Schloss Elmau, 2011; Co-productions by rbb-kultur of three albums released on her own label, 2012, 2013, 2016; Release of the album “Gate 29” for jazz trio, 2012; Germany-wide release tour in 20 jazz clubs with her Jazz-Trio, 2012; Invitation by Goethe Institute Paris for concerts and workshops, 2012; Festival concerts at Jazz Open Stuttgart and the main stage of Jazz Festival Rostock, 2012; Concert at the classical music festival Uckermärkische Musikwochen, 2012; Concert on the main stage of the Jazz Ralley in Luxembourg, 2013; First recording of a solo piano album in New York City, 2013; Conducting the Budapest Jazz Orchestra with concerts at the Átrium Theater, 2013; Release of the jazz-classical album “Episodes” for piano and string quartet, 2013; Conducting the Nerly BigBand, 2014; Piano solo concert at the Festival Jazzmeeting in Kühlungsborn, 2014; Concerts at the classical music festivals Pianissimo at Schloß Elmau and the main stage of the classical music festival Ostfriesische Landschaften, 2014; Release of the piano solo album “Self-Portrait” followed by a 25-day concert tour through 5 countries, 2014; First concert at Piano Salon Christophori, 2014; Foundation of the Maria Baptist Orchestra, 2015; Start of the monthly concert series of the Maria Baptist Orchestra at Kunstfabrik Schlot in Berlin with the premiere concert on 04. January, 2015; Portrait about Maria Baptist at “Rendezvous” at TRT-World Television, 2015; 12-day concert tour with the string quartet through jazz clubs and chamber music halls, 2015; Concerts at Staatstheater Kassel with Pierrot Lunaire and improvisations, 2015; Performance of the piece “December Colors“ by Jericho Brass, 2016; Direction of the Big Band of the Deutsche Oper with concerts at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, 2016;Release of the Maria Baptist Orchestra’s debut album “Here & Now I”, 2016; Nomination for the Bestenliste of the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik, 2016; CD release tour of the Maria Baptist Orchestra e.g. at Jazzfest Kassel, 2016; Piano Solo Concert at the Chamber Music Festival in Kühlungsborn, 2016; Release of the album “Poems without Words” with the Trio plus One, 2017; Album presentation at the Kulturbühne of Dussmann, 2017; Extensive Europe-wide concert tour e.g. Germany, Poland, France, Great Britain, 2017; Trio Festival concerts at e.g. BayerKultur, Jazzfestival Bühl, 2017; Portrait in the ZDF/3Sat documentary „Jazz oder die Lehre vom Fliegen,“ 2017; studio guest and interview on „Der Tag“ on Deutsche Welle TV, 2017;

2018 – 2023

Funding of Maria Baptist Orchestra concert series through the Berlin Senate for Culture & Europe, 2018-2023; This grant has resulted in 20 commissioned jazz orchestra compositions, 2018-2023; Concert in New York City at “3333 concerts”, 2018; Concert at Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik with the Sigurdur Flosason Quartet, 2018; Concert at JazzBaltica, 2018; Release of the piano solo album “Resonance”, 2018; extensive concert tour in Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, 2018; Solo piano concert on the main stage of the Nancy Jazz Festival in France, 2018; Concert in the main program of the classical music festival Usedomer Musiktage, 2019; Concerts at the Hong Kong Jazz Festival with a travel grant from the Berlin Senate, 2019; Release of the second part of the album cycle “Here & Now II” for jazz orchestra, 2019; Publication of the study score for “Here & Now II”, 2019; Conduction of the Reykjavik Big Band with concerts at Harpa Concert Hall, 2020; Publication of the duo album “Facing Duality” with saxophonist Jan von Klewitz, 2020; Publication of the sheet music “Sheet Music Vol. 1,” 2020; Concert with the duo program at “In Concert” by Deutschlandfunk Kultur, 2021; Commission by the Berlin Senate to compose three movements of the four-movement suite “The Bright & The Dark”, 2021, 2022; Anniversary concert week for Maria Baptist’s 50th. Birthday at Jazzclub A-Trane in Berlin with presentation of all jazz ensembles on five evenings, 2021; Extensive concert tours with Jan von Klewitz, 2021; Release of Maria Baptist Orchestra’s video album “Live in Berlin” with funds from private sponsors, 2022; Quintet concert at Festival Jazz im Palmengarten in front of 1000 people, 2022; Duo concert at the Festival Kunstflecken at the Theater in der Stadthalle Neumünster, 2022; Commissioned composition of the Berlin Senate “Concerto for the Reeds” for jazz orchestra, 2022, 2023; Film music recording “House of Dreams” (RTL): Piano Sonata No.32 by Ludwig van Beethoven op.111 2nd movement with improvisation, 2022; Release of the double album “Essays on Jazz”with the instrumentation alto saxophone, bass clarinet/tenor saxophone, piano, double bass and drums, 2023; Summer-Week at the A-Trane with trio and guests, 2023; guest on hr2-kultur program Jazzfacts, 2023; Nomination of „Essays on Jazz“ for the Bestenliste of the German Record Critics‘ Award, 2023;

since 2024

Concert at the Konzerthaus Liebfrauen with the Maria Baptist Orchestra, 2024; Debut at the Elbphilharmonie and premiere of the piano solo cycle „Hopes & Fears“, 2024; Premiere of the Piano Concerto No. 1 with Symphony Orchestra at the Niederlenzer Musiktage in Switzerland; Release of the piano solo album „Hopes & Fears“ on Vinyl, CD and Streaming, Sep 2024; Concert tour through classical concert halls: Gewandhaus Leipzig, Glocke Bonn, Gasteig Munich, Liederhalle Stuttgart, Chamber Music Hall Beethoven-Haus Bonn, 2024; Broadcast of the complete album „Hopes & Fears“ at „In Concert“ on Deutschlandfunk Kultur, 2024; Numerous reviews and radio reports on the new album; “Hopes & Fears” enters the top 3 jazz charts at jpc; Nomination for the German Record Critics‘ Award 2024 in the Crossover category for the album „Hopes & Fears“;