Christoph Maria Wagner was born in 1966 near Lake Constance, in Germany. He studied opiano, conducting and composition at the Musikhochschule of Cologne. In 1992 he won the Kulturförderpreis of the city of Constance. In 1994 he started composing film music. Since 1995 he has taught score reading and basso continuo playing at the Musikhochschule of Cologne. Since 1995 he has been a founding member of the Cologne composers' group SCHISMA.
In 1997 he participated as composer and pianist at the Gergiev Festival Rotterdam. His opera Der Opferstock was premiered the following season in Cologne, Bochum, Essen, Düsseldorf and Dortmund. In 1999 he won first prize for "Zoom" at the European Flute Festival. In 2000 his Déjà Vu was premiered at the International Lake Constance Festival.
In 2001 he was the soloist in the premiere of his piano concerto with the Northern Holland Philharmonic Orchestra. He continues to be active as pianist, composer, and conductor.
