Who Is Michael Ziegler? The Musician Behind the Name
Michael Ziegler is a German accordionist who shares accordion covers of pop songs, film music, and classical pieces online under the name Michael Ziegler Music. He plays everything from Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” to Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five” on the accordion, and he also sells his own sheet music arrangements.
One thing to know up front: more than one musician shares this name. There is also a Michael Ziegler in a Danish rock band, a rabbi in California who recorded Jewish sacred music, and an American orchestra conductor. This guide focuses on the accordionist, because his online name is literally “Michael Ziegler Music.” Then it covers the others, so you can tell them apart.
Who Is Michael Ziegler, the Accordionist?
Michael Ziegler is an accordionist from Delmenhorst, Germany, who posts accordion cover videos on YouTube under the name Michael Ziegler Music. His social pages use the same name, including Facebook and Instagram, and he has a Spotify artist page.
He is not a chart-topping pop star. He is a working musician who built an audience by playing well-known songs on an instrument most people do not expect to hear them on. That is a big part of the appeal. Hearing a song you know, played on an accordion, makes you listen to it in a new way.
His online presence is built around covers rather than original songs. He picks tunes people already love, arranges them for accordion, and films himself playing them. The videos are simple: the music does the talking.
What Music Does Michael Ziegler Play?
Michael Ziegler plays a wide mix of music on the accordion, including pop hits, film soundtracks, jazz standards, folk tunes, and classical pieces. His covers range from Leonard Cohen and Elton John to Bach and Scarlatti.
- “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen
- “Take Five” by Dave Brubeck
- “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X
- “Cold Heart” by Elton John and Dua Lipa
- “Wellerman”, the sea shanty
- “Apologize” by OneRepublic
- “Tico Tico” by Zequinha de Abreu
- “Conquest of Paradise” by Vangelis
- “He’s a Pirate” from Pirates of the Caribbean
- “Radetzky March” by Johann Strauss
- Bach’s Invention No. 1
- Scarlatti sonatas in F major
That range is the point. One day it is a pop hit, the next it is a classical sonata. If you like the accordion, or you are just curious what it can do, his channel is a good place to start.
Where Can You Listen to Michael Ziegler’s Music?
You can listen to Michael Ziegler’s music on YouTube, where he posts his accordion cover videos, and on Spotify, where he has an artist page. He also posts clips and updates on Instagram as @ziggiaccordion and on Facebook as Michael Ziegler Music.
YouTube is the best place to start. The videos show him playing, which matters for an instrument like the accordion. You can see how the hands, bellows, and buttons all work together. His Hallelujah accordion cover is a good first watch if you want a quick taste of what he does.
Spotify works better if you just want to listen while you do something else. Instagram is where he shares shorter clips and updates. Facebook carries much of the same content for people who prefer that platform.
Does Michael Ziegler Sell Sheet Music?
Yes. Michael Ziegler arranges sheet music for accordion and sells it through Sheet Music Plus. His arrangements include popular songs, such as his accordion version of “abcdefu,” written for solo accordion at an intermediate level.
This is useful if you play the accordion yourself. Learning a cover by ear takes time. Buying the arrangement gives you the notes, the fingering ideas, and the structure in one place. His arrangements are aimed at players who already know the basics and want real songs to play.
If you are thinking of buying one, check the difficulty level listed on the page first. His “abcdefu” arrangement, for example, is listed at level 2, which suits players past the beginner stage.
Does Michael Ziegler Teach Accordion?
Yes, Michael Ziegler offers accordion lessons. His YouTube descriptions mention accordion tuition (“Akkordeonunterricht”), and he lists a contact email for enquiries.
Lessons are a natural fit for a musician with his kind of channel. People watch a cover, think “I want to play like that,” and look for a teacher. If you are interested, the email listed on his videos is the way to reach him. Lesson details, prices, and whether they happen online or in person are things to confirm with him directly, since he does not publish them on his channel pages.
Other Musicians Named Michael Ziegler
The name Michael Ziegler belongs to several musicians, so it is easy to mix them up. Besides the accordionist, there is a Danish rock musician, a California rabbi who recorded sacred music, an American conductor, and a guitarist listed with the Edison Electric Band.
Michael Ziegler of Hotel Hunger
The Danish rock band Hotel Hunger has a member named Michael Ziegler. He is one of the band’s original members, alongside Jimmy Jorgensen, Henrik Botoft, Freddie Wolf, and Knut E. Haavik. The band was once called “Denmark’s best live band.”
Hotel Hunger’s debut album, “This Is Where The Fun Starts,” came out in 1989. After a long gap, the original line-up returned with a tenth album, “Slut”, released on September 8, 2023, through Target Records. Michael Ziegler is also credited as a co-writer of the song “Drive’in Believer,” published by Sony/ATV. If the Michael Ziegler you are looking for plays rock music in a Danish band, this is your person, not the accordionist.
Rabbi Michael Ziegler and Jewish Sacred Music
Another Michael Ziegler is a rabbi in Berkeley, California. He worked with singer Richard Kaplan on an album of Jewish sacred music called “Tuning the Soul: Worlds of Jewish Sacred Music.” The album has 18 tracks drawn from Middle Eastern songs, Andalusian melodies, Hasidic tunes, and original Hebrew chants.
Tuning the Soul sold nearly 6,000 copies across the United States, Mexico, Canada, and Europe. Rabbi Ziegler is described as a teacher, ritualist, and producer, and he runs the 7th Heaven Yoga Studio in Berkeley. If you came across the name while looking for Jewish sacred music, this is the Michael Ziegler you mean.
Michael Lund Ziegler, Orchestra Conductor
There is also a conductor named Michael Lund Ziegler. He comes from Seymour, Wisconsin, and holds a master’s degree in orchestral conducting from Ball State University. He founded Music for the Sake of Music, a classical music festival in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and has worked with youth, collegiate, community, and professional orchestras.
Michael Ziegler, Guitarist
Music databases list a Michael Ziegler as a guitarist with the Edison Electric Band, a band from the United States. Public details about this listing are thin, so treat it as a name match rather than a full profile. If you were looking for a guitarist, this may be the one, but there is not much verified information available.
How to Make Sure You Found the Right Michael Ziegler
Check the instrument and the platform. If the page talks about accordion covers, sheet music, or the handle @ziggiaccordion, it is the German accordionist. If it talks about Hotel Hunger, Jewish sacred music, or orchestras, it is one of the others.
- Accordion covers and @ziggiaccordion = the German accordionist
- Hotel Hunger or Danish rock = the band member
- “Tuning the Soul” or Jewish sacred music = Rabbi Michael Ziegler
- Orchestras or Green Bay music festival = the conductor
- Edison Electric Band guitar = the guitarist listing
Search results often mix these people together, because search engines match the name, not the person. Adding one extra word to your search fixes it. Try “Michael Ziegler accordion,” “Michael Ziegler Hotel Hunger,” or “Michael Ziegler Tuning the Soul,” depending on who you want.
It is the same kind of name confusion we see with other online figures. We covered a similar case with Mike Dobinson, where a little-known name turned out to belong to a real person with a real story behind it. Checking the actual content beats trusting the name alone, which is also the lesson from our TozyMagazine guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Michael Ziegler in music?
Michael Ziegler is a German accordionist who posts accordion covers on YouTube and other platforms under the name Michael Ziegler Music. The name is shared by other musicians, including a Danish rock band member and a California rabbi, so check the instrument and context to confirm which one you mean.
What instrument does Michael Ziegler play?
The Michael Ziegler behind the “Michael Ziegler Music” pages plays the accordion. He covers pop songs, film themes, jazz standards, and classical pieces on it. The other people with the same name play different roles, such as rock band member or conductor.
Where can I listen to Michael Ziegler’s music?
You can watch his accordion covers on YouTube, listen on Spotify, and follow short clips on Instagram as @ziggiaccordion and on Facebook as Michael Ziegler Music. YouTube is the best starting point because the videos show him playing the instrument.
Is Michael Ziegler in a band?
The accordionist Michael Ziegler is a solo performer online. A different Michael Ziegler is an original member of the Danish rock band Hotel Hunger, whose tenth album “Slut” came out in 2023. Make sure you are following the right one.
Does Michael Ziegler sell sheet music?
Yes. He arranges songs for accordion and sells the sheet music through Sheet Music Plus. His arrangements include popular songs like “abcdefu,” written for solo accordion at an intermediate level. Check the listed difficulty before buying.
Does Michael Ziegler teach accordion?
Yes, he offers accordion lessons and lists a contact email on his videos for enquiries. Lesson format, prices, and availability are not published on his channel, so contact him directly for details.
Is Michael Ziegler the same person as the Hotel Hunger member?
No. The accordionist and the Hotel Hunger band member are two different people who share the same name. The accordionist is based in Germany and plays covers solo, while the band member plays rock music with the Danish band Hotel Hunger.
What is Michael Ziegler’s most popular cover?
No verified view counts or rankings are available, so there is no confirmed “most popular” cover. His Leonard Cohen “Hallelujah” cover is one of his best-known videos and a good place to start if you are new to his channel.
The Bottom Line
Michael Ziegler Music is the online home of a German accordionist who turns songs you already know into accordion performances. Pop, film music, jazz, and classical pieces all get the same treatment: arranged for accordion, played well, and shared online.
The name is shared by other musicians, which is the main thing to watch out for. If you remember “accordion, covers, @ziggiaccordion,” you have the right person. From there, YouTube is the best place to start listening, and his sheet music is there if you want to play along yourself.
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