Prof. Wolfgang Köhler

Prof. Wolfgang Köhler was born in Hofgeismar and had classical piano lessons at the age of eight and violin lessons at the age of 15. After participating in the Burghausen jazz course in 1977 he developed an interest in modern jazz and founded the band Just Friends with the saxophonist Allan Praskin. During a stay in New York he had lessons with Barry Harris and Ellis Larkins. In late 1980 he moved to Berlin where he studied school music at the Berlin Uuniversity of the Arts and graduated in 1985. Alongside his studies he was taught by Walter Norris and from 1982-96 he had lessons with Etzel Gundlich. From 1982 Wolfgang Köhler was a member of the Lou Blackburn International Quartet, the Red Onions New Orleans jazz band and from 1982-86 he accompanied Karl Dall on his tours. Wolfgang Köhler has performed with Herb Geller, Lou Donaldson, Leo Wright, Lew Soloff, Silvia Droste, Bobby Shew, Billy Elgard, the RIAS Tanzorchester under Horst Jankowski and the RIAS Big Band under Jiggs Whigham. He performed with the Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Berlin and the Deutsches Sinfonieorchester and recorded CDs with both orchestras. In 1992 Wolfgang Köhler was pianist on the SFB TV talk show 'Berlin Mitte' and part-time organist on the VIVA talk show 'Ma Kuckn' with Stefan Raab. Apart from his own ensembles he has composed soundtracks and worked in theatres including the Freie Volksbühne and the Maxim Gorki Theater. Wolfgang Köhler has taught since 1980. From 1992 to February 1999 he was tutor of jazz piano at the Berlin University of the Arts. Since 1995 he has worked at the Academy of Music "Hanns Eisler" Berlin as tutor of jazz piano and accompanying. In 1995/96 he was piano instructor at workshops in Bologna and in 1996/97 he accompanied jazz singing workshops with Silvia Droste in Bielefeld. In the summer semester 1999 Wolfgang Köhler was appointed Professor of Piano in the Jazz and Popular Music department of the Academy of Music "Hanns Eisler" Berlin.