Marja Burchard

Marja Burchard was born and raised in Munich in 1985, immersed in the musical world of her father, Christian Burchard, founder and bandleader of the music group Embryo, which was formed in 1969. A multi-instrumentalist, she is deeply engaged with diverse sounds and sound textures, playing the vibraphone, piano, synthesizer, trombone, and santur, and using her voice as an instrumental element.

Through music and various theater projects, Marja Burchard has traveled to many countries, including Mali, Senegal, Romania, Hungary, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Japan, China, Sri Lanka, Russia, Morocco, and Brazil, among others, experiences that also influence her compositions. In 2016, she took over the leadership of her father’s music group, Embryo, with which she continues to perform at international festivals. Burchard also composes for various feature films and television productions. In 2023, Burchard was awarded the Music Promotion Prize by the City of Munich. In 2024, she received the Special Jury Prize at the Hessian Film Awards for her music for the film “Shahid” by Narges Kalhor, and in 2025, she was awarded the German Film Critics’ Prize.