His CD Genesis, an avant-garde jazz collaboration with renowned drummer Matt Marucci, has received raving reviews from jazz critics in the United States while his latest Spiritual Standards project Tertia, with Berlin-based saxophonist Jan Von Klewitz, made its debut during a nationally televised performance in Germany on New Year's day, 2005. His second album, The Smile of the Honeycake Horse, with his quartet Septer Bourbon, received wide acclaim from the European press and Downbeat Magazine in the United States and achieved a “cult following” in Germany.

His Spiritual Standards project, a collection of contemporary jazz improvisations of Johann Sebastian Bach’s greatest chorals and masterpieces, was performed at sold out venues in Germany, Poland, Italy and the United States, later moving to the top 20 in the German Jazz charts in 1999.

His fifth album and first solo project, Ultreya, featuring his own piano compositions and improvisational work, is a testament to his resilience in the face of tragedy, following a long battle with cancer.

Ultreya, an ancient Spanish cry which loosely translates into "keep going" was introduced to American, German and Italian audiences during his 2003-2004 tour season.

Currently one album is scheduled for release. His new Trio album with renowned bassist Bob Magnusson and drummer Joe LaBarbera from Los Angeles has been recorded and will be released in 2009.

Along with composing and performing, Markus is a professor of  Jazz Piano and Music Business at Fullerton College and at Los Angeles City College.

Among his accomplishments, was the launching of DiverCity Records, a non-profit, college-based record label, which he founded and directed, with the mission of providing “real-world”, hands-on record label experience to students from diverse musical Backgrounds.

He consulted the Los Rios Community College District as well as the North Orange County Community College District on the integration of music technology into the classroom as well as local businesses about the virtual music production world and marketing in the new music business.

He also digitized the entire music library of Fullerton College and transformed it into an Ipod based listening experience.

Remaining true to his goal of being a versatile, multi-dimensional artist, Markus has also ventured into the world of musical scoring for television and documentaries in the United States and Europe and wrote several scores for documentaries and theme songs for prime time TV shows in Germany.

He also consults about Music Technology and their integration in the academic context and is an Apple Certified User

and Trainer in Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro.

He, his wife Cibelle and daughters Kathrina and Sasha Marie currently split their time between Europe and Los Angeles, California.

He began studying piano at age six and later earned his Diplom in Performing Arts from the Essen Folkwang School in Germany, a B.A. in Piano and Composition from the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands and a Certification in Popular Music from the University of Hamburg, Germany.

He studied with Kenny Werner, John Taylor, Kenny Wheeler, Don Thompson, Peter Walter, Frank Giebels and Peter Herborn

In developing his signature sound over the years, Markus drew his influences from a wide range of musical styles including J.S. Bach, Claude Debussy, Keith Jarret, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Pat Metheny, Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Sting.