Marc Secara, Peter Weniger, Wolfgang Köhler
Biography Marc Secara, Peter Weniger, Wolfgang Köhler
Marc Secara
studied Jazz and Pop Vocals at the Hanns Eisler School of Music in Berlin and received an IASJ scholarship to attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA. At the age of 20, he sang with the German National Youth Jazz Orchestra. In 2001, Marc garnered worldwide media attention: as the first Western artist in 20 years, he was permitted to tour Iran, where he won First Prize for Best Artist at the country's most prestigious music festival, "Fajr." In 2004, he was selected—as the only German artist—to embark on the "New Stars for Europe" tour across Europe on behalf of the German Federal Government, musically welcoming the ten new EU member states at the time.
He made his major-label debut in 2006 with the production *Strangers in the Night* (Universal Records).
In 2008, he sang and composed the title track (Warner Music) for the major German feature film *Mord ist mein Geschäft, Liebling* (Murder Is My Business, Darling), starring Nora Tschirner and Rick Kavanian. That same year saw the release of a live DVD featuring a concert recorded at the Frankfurt Opera: *Strangers in the Night* (Universal Records).
In 2011, he released *Now and Forever*, an elaborate production featuring an all-star German big band, a symphony orchestra, and a choir. For the 2016 Olympic Games, he performed two tracks on the official ARD soundtrack alongside the NDR Big Band. In 2019, he once again lent his voice to a feature film production, appearing on the soundtrack for the movie *Der letzte Bulle* (The Last Cop).
In 2020, his "Berlin Jazz Orchestra" (under the direction of American trombone legend Jiggs Whigham) celebrated its 20th anniversary; it has since established itself as one of Germany's most renowned big bands. With him, he performed over one hundred concerts in Germany’s major concert halls—including the Berlin Philharmonie, Gewandhaus Leipzig, Liederhalle Stuttgart, Munich Philharmonie, CCH1 Hamburg, and many others.
In 2013, he was appointed Professor of Vocal Studies at the University of Popular Arts (Berlin), where he currently directs the B.Mus. program in Popular Music.
Between 2020 and 2024, he released several albums featuring both big bands and smaller ensembles. His tours have taken him all over the world.
He is recognized as one of the leading figures in contemporary German jazz and pop vocals, frequently appearing as a guest soloist in jazz programs with ensembles such as the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, the Deutsche Oper Orchestra, the HR Big Band, the NDR Big Band, the BBC Big Band, and the Filmorchester Babelsberg. He has shared the stage with Thomas Quasthoff, Paul Kuhn, the New York Voices, Alfred Biolek, Ack van Rooyen, Peter Kraus, Peter Herbolzheimer, Joja Wendt, Manfred Krug, Pe Werner, Patti Austin, Johnny Logan, Jeff Cascaro, Dieter Hallervorden, Vicky Leandros, Katherine Mehrling, and many others.
Prof. Peter Weniger
is a saxophonist, composer, and producer. Since October 1999, he has served as a professor at the Berlin University of the Arts (Universität der Künste Berlin), and—with the exception of a one-year hiatus—has been the Artistic Director of the internationally renowned Jazz-Institut Berlin since 2005.
Born in 1964, the musician is active both as a composer and bandleader, and as an educator—serving as a "jazz educator" at numerous workshops both in Germany and abroad. A multitude of awards, honors, and concert tours underscore his widely recognized musical integrity.
“Being part in the act of creation”—guided by this credo, he is active in numerous musical projects spanning a wide variety of genres, collaborating with renowned artists both nationally and internationally.
Profound emotional depth and brilliant virtuosity characterize his musical expression.
For him, rhythm, melody, harmony, and sound take center stage—serving to bridge the new with the old and to explore new paths.
Prof. Wolfgang Köhler
Born in Hofgeismar, he began classical piano lessons at the age of eight and classical violin lessons at fifteen. After participating in the Burghausen Jazz Course in 1977, he developed an interest in modern jazz and, together with saxophonist Allan Praskin, founded the band "Just Friends." During a stay in New York in 1980, Wolfgang Köhler received instruction from Barry Harris and Ellis Larkins.
In late 1980, he moved to Berlin, where he initially studied school music at the University of the Arts, passing his state examination for music teachers in 1985. Alongside his university studies, he was mentored by Walter Norris and received classical instruction from Etzel Gundlich between 1982 and 1996. From 1982 onwards, Wolfgang Köhler was a member of the Lou Blackburn International Quartet and the Red Onions New Orleans Jazz Band; additionally, between 1982 and 1986, he served as the regular touring accompanist for Karl Dall.
Wolfgang Köhler has performed with—among others—Herb Geller, Lou Donaldson, Leo Wright, Lew Soloff, Silvia Droste, Bobby Shew, Billy Elgard, the RIAS Dance Orchestra under the direction of Horst Jankowski, and the RIAS Big Band under the direction of Jiggs Whigham. He has performed in concerts and made CD recordings with the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra (Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin) and the German Symphony Orchestra (Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester). In the realm of television, Wolfgang Köhler was engaged in 1992 as the pianist for the SFB talk show "Berlin Mitte" and as the occasional organist for the Viva talk show "Ma Kuckn" hosted by Stefan Raab. In addition to his work with his own ensembles, he has composed film scores and collaborated with theaters such as the Freie Volksbühne and the Maxim Gorki Theater.
Wolfgang Köhler has been active in music education since 1980. From 1992 until February 1999, he served as a lecturer in jazz piano at the Berlin University of the Arts. Since 1995, Wolfgang Köhler has been affiliated with the Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin as a lecturer in jazz piano and collaborative piano. In 1995–96, he served as a piano instructor at workshops in Bologna, and in 1996–97, as a collaborative pianist for jazz vocal workshops with Silvia Droste in Bielefeld. For the summer semester of 1999, Wolfgang Köhler was appointed Professor of Piano in the Department of Jazz and Popular Music at the Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin.
