Maria Baptist

Pianist, composer, conductor and orchestra leader, Maria Baptist moves seamlessly between musical worlds. Her music merges jazz and classical influences into a distinctive sonic experience. She has performed her critically acclaimed works on some of the world’s most prestigious stages – from the Berlin Philharmonie to the Elbphilharmonie, from New York to Hong Kong – and documented them on 18 albums.

Hailed as a “virtuoso pianist” (Hamburger Abendblatt), whose "piano style evokes Bill Evans & Keith Jarrett" (Downbeat) Maria Baptist is celebrated for her solo performances, where she effortlessly blends composition and improvisation. With her own orchestra, she is shaping new directions in the orchestral landscape. The Maria Baptist Orchestra fuses contemporary jazz with symphonic textures and has established itself as a pioneer of symphonic jazz.

At the same time, she composes for jazz ensembles, string quartets, and full symphonic orchestras, continuously expanding the possibilities of jazz in orchestral and chamber music settings.