At the age of fifteen Maria listened to recordings of Dave Brubeck and Keith Jarrett and discovered for the first time the world of jazz and improvisation.

During this period, the Berlin Wall fell, which meant a great personal change in Maria's life.

Maria's artistic work was significantly influenced and inspired by the tremendous creativity, energy, living will, the strength and melancholy of the metropolis.

"Her music is a gift, infused with all the creativity, power, emotion, generosity and warmth that she exudes in life.“ commends the famous American big band composer the work of her Berlin colleague Maria Baptist.

Since the age of twenty-nine she has been a guest professor at the University of Music "Hanns Eisler", where she teaches composition, arranging, improvisation and jazz theory.

Her latest Jazz Trio CD "Spring in Berlin“ offers an enormous variety of sounds: from chamber music influences, lyrical melodies to heavy grooving parts full of intensity and drive.

Maria works with contrasts, subtile moments with emotional deepness and is able to connect classical influences with Jazz in a very natural and gentle way without effort.The album is highly acclaimed by the press: „cool groove & cultivated touch with a great effect“ (Piano News).

She gave concerts e.g. in the United States, China, South Africa, Cuba, France, Iceland, Denmark, Greece, Sweden, Italy, Luxembourg, Hungary and Spain.

Apart from her engagements as a performer and composer, Maria has been a professor at the Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler"[1][2] Berlin since 2001.