Biography

Born in Hamburg, 1963.

Frank started playing the saxophone at 16 and, following a period at the Hamburg Conservatory (Hamburger Musikhochschule), moved in 1985 to study at the Cologne Conservatory of Music with Heiner Wiberny, graduating in 1990. He studied further studies with Charlie Mariano, Sal Nistico and Steve Lacy.

Frank Gratkowski has been worked as a soloist in various international formations (Grubenklang Orchester, Klaus Koenig Orchester, Musikfabrik NRW, Tony Oxley Celebration Orchestra, Bentje Braam, BikBentBraam, All Ears, Zeitkratzer, WDR Big band, etc.). Since 1990, he has been giving solo performances throughout Europe, Canada, and the US. With his first solo program, he was a 1991 prizewinner in the Musik Kreativ contest. The release of the solo CD “Artikulationen” followed the same year and a second “Artikulationen II” in 2002.

Frank Gratkowski played in numerous international Jazz and contemporary music Festivals including Vancouver, Toronto, Chicago, New York, Seattle, Quebec, Les Mans, Muelhuus, Groeningen, Nickelsdorf, Barcelona, Lithuania, Warsaw, Zagreb, Prague, Bratislava, Sofia, Bucharest, Odessa and Roma, Huddersfield, and London.

He has been teaching saxophone and ensembles at the Cologne, Berlin and Arnhem Conservatory of Music and gives workshops all around the world.