Bernward Koch was born in January, 1957 in Siegen/Westfalen, Germany. When he was 12 years old, he started playing French horn in the musical brass band of his village in Wenden, but just a little bit later he changed to the trumpet “to be able to play more melodies.” Two years later, he started to be engaged in bass, guitar, and drums.
When he was 15 his father, Hubert Koch, an known accordion player, donated him a piano and he got his first classic piano lessons, but started creating improvisations and compositions, too. His enthusiasm for music grew, especially for Jazz, Rock, Pop and Folk, but also for classical music.
In his early 20s he started studying at the music-university in cologne, meanwhile he took part (mostly together with his younger brother Christoph), in several music seminars include at the University of Bremen, teaching at Prof. Sigi Busch. In the meantime he played keyboards, drums, and percussion in different Jazz-Rock bands.
With his debut album “FLOWING” Bernward Koch had a successful debut in the USA in 1990, when he received a strong airplay especially from the major California radio stations THE WAVE in Los Angeles and KKSF in San Francisco and popularized the music of the still unknown German pianist.
Koch`s fame began to ascend when his song “Ever Returning” was chosen for two AIDS benefit compilations, by chairman Elizabeth Taylor, initiated by the radio stations KKSF and THE WAVE. He contributed his track along with artists like Bonnie Raitt, Al Jarreau, Sting, Lauren Wood, Dave Grusin/Lee Ritenouer, Eurhythmics Dave A. Stewart and Candy Dulfer, Bob James/David Sanborn, Ottmar Liebert and Yanni.
In 1992 an important step in his career followed. His record, “LAGUNA DE LA VERA” stayed high in the American Billboard New Age charts for a couple of months. Simultaneously it became one of the most highly acclaimed instrumental records of the year in various other countries.
Bernward’s music is used by the US organization, “Massachusetts Fallen Soldiers” to heal suicide-prone soldiers who have come back from crisis areas in different places in the world and often suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, discovered and tested his music in their research center. it has been certified as “Anti Stress” and recommended accordingly. As well, many major airlines use his music for “fear of flying” during the flights all around the world.
Bernward’s album, the wonderfully relaxing, “TREE TALES” is our FEATURED ALBUM at New Age Notes. Our album review is here and you can listen below:
Official artist website: https://www.bernwardkoch.de/en/