Born in 1972 in Feldkirchen/Carinthia, Marko Lackner, after receiving his diploma at the Landeskonservatorium Klagenfurt, went during his further studies via Graz to Cologne, where he completed his studies in jazz composition and jazz saxophone. Here he was able to establish himself in the German scene both as a saxophonist and as a composer and conductor, and among other things received the WDR Jazz Prize as a composer in 2006. He works regularly with the following ensembles: Bob Brookmeyer's New Art Orchestra, Sunday Night Orchestra Nuremberg, Cologne Contemporary Jazz Orchestra, WDR Big Band, NDR Big Band, HR Big Band. among others.

Marko Lackner is also in demand as a music educator, e.g. as the leader of the German Federal Jazz Orchestra in 2007 and 2010 or various state jazz orchestras. In 2003 Marko Lackner became professor for bigband and saxophone at the Musikhochschule Dresden, since 2009 he works as professor for bigband and jazz composition/arrangement at the HfM Würzburg.

Marko Lackner sees jazz in connection with European musical tradition as well as with current trends as the focus of his compositional work. With the instruments of a jazz orchestra it is possible to develop symphonic sonorities and to create the spontaneous liveliness of a jazz combo with the musicians of the same through improvisation and interpretation. By balancing these two components, Marko Lackner develops a style that is close to jazz as well as symphonic music.