Prof. Christian Weidner

Berlin-based saxophonist Christian Weidner pursues an integrative and creatively experimental approach. His musical work is defined by an engagement with tradition, the exploration of new pathways, and a commitment to authentic personal expression.

Born and raised in Kassel in 1976, Christian Weidner began playing piano at the age of seven and discovered the alto saxophone and jazz at twelve. Early on, he gained diverse experiences with the Hessen State Youth Jazz Orchestra and the German National Jazz Orchestra. At the age of 18, he performed in a duo with the German free jazz legend Gunter Hampel and shortly thereafter joined the German-French Jazz Ensemble under the direction of trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff.

In 1996, Weidner began his saxophone studies at the Hamburg University of Music and Theatre, became an Erasmus scholar in Stockholm in 1999, and continued his studies from 2000 to 2002 at the Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin.

Since 1999, Weidner has lived and worked in Berlin, participating over the decades in numerous internationally renowned projects. These include his formation "Royce" with Simon Stockhausen, the "John Schröder Quartet," Rainer Tempel’s "Tempelektrisch," Frank Gratkowski’s microtonal saxophone quartet "Fo[u]r Alto," Ronny Graupe’s band "Spoom," the Icelandic cult band "Mezzoforte," the legendary trio "Der Rote Bereich" by Frank Möbus, Pablo Held’s "Flow," and the "Robert Landfermann Quintet," among others.

In addition to his ensemble work, Weidner has composed music for radio plays and audiobooks and performed in a duo with narrator Christian Brückner at the Berlin Jazz Festival in 2013.

Weidner has maintained a close collaboration with the record label Pirouet Records and producer Jason Seizer for many years. His debut album, Choral, was released there in 2004 as a trio with pianist Antonio Palesano and drummer Daniel Schröteler. The label has also released three albums by his quartet featuring Achim Kaufmann (piano), Henning Sieverts (double bass), and Samuel Rohrer (drums). Additionally, two albums by the "Kathrin Pechlof Trio," featuring harpist Kathrin Pechlof and bassist Robert Landfermann, were released on Pirouet Records. In 2021, this trio was nominated in the category "Best Broadcast Production" for the German Jazz Prize.

Currently, Christian Weidner is active in various ensembles, including the Karl Ivar Refseth Trio, Marc Schmolling’s project with Chorwerk Ruhr, Dejan Terzić’s "Melanoia," Eric Schäfer’s "Hayashi," and Nils Wogram’s "Muse Quartet." He also performs with "RADICAL Empathy," a formation founded by Kathrin Pechlof in 2023, featuring Achim Kaufmann, Elias Stemeseder, Robert Landfermann, and Leif Berger.

His current personal projects and key vessels for his compositional work include the Kathrin Pechlof Trio and his duo Licht with Cologne-based pianist Felix Hauptmann.

Christian Weidner has received multiple studio grants and artist scholarships from the Berlin Senate. He has led workshops at German music universities and during international tours for the Goethe-Institut. From 2014 to 2023, he served as an external expert at the Bern University of the Arts. From 2013 to 2018, he also co-curated the Berlin concert series "Serious Series" for jazz and improvised music with Kathrin Pechlof.

Since 2015, Christian Weidner has been a Professor of Jazz Saxophone at the Stuttgart University of Music and Performing Arts.