Having completed his full academic pianist education at the Emīls Dārziņš Music Secondary School and the Latvian State Conservatory, Madars Kalniņš has been involved in jazz for more than 30 years. In 1986, he joined Raimonds Raubiško and Gunārs Rozenbergs' jazz association Jazztett, which focused mainly on the hard bop style. With this group, he gave both local concerts and two-week evening performances at the prestigious Ronnie Scott's Bar in London and at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in the USA. In 1989, Madars Kalniņš began working in the Latvian Radio Big Band, where he played for three years. After 2000, the pianist has been constantly involved in various jazz groups: Riga Groove Electro, Riga Groove Acoustic, Balticness, Colors of Brain, Resonance, Funk Therapy, Mirage Jazz Orchestra, Skygroove, Add Libitum and many other projects. Nominated for the Latvian Music Recording of the Year Award “Golden Microphone 2013” in the category “Best Jazz and Blues Music Album” for the recording “Unspoken Words”, while the album “Little Musical Tales”, in which Madars Kalniņš also participated as a pianist and composer, received the “Golden Microphone 2014” award in the category “Best Album for Children”. Madars Kalniņš is also a teacher at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music and the Riga Dome Choir School. In parallel with his work as a pianist and teacher, he also creates original compositions.
