Violinist, conductor and composer Pekka Kuusisto is widely recognised for his artistic freedom and fresh approach to the repertoire. He is Artistic Director of the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor and Artistic Co-Director of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. He is also an artistic partner of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and has been an ›Artistic Best Friend‹ of the Deutsche Kammer­philharmonie Bremen since 2017. Last season, Kuusisto made his debut as a violinist with the Berliner Philharmoniker and as conductor with the Philharmonia Orchestra and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. This season he has performed with the Gewandhaus Orchester Leipzig, the NHK Symphony Orchestra Tokyo and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, among others.

In addition to being an enthusiastic advocate of contemporary music who regularly premieres new works himself, Pekka Kuusisto is a gifted improviser, collaborating with people from across the artistic spectrum. Unfettered by conventional genre boundaries, his recent projects have included collaborations with composer and pianist Hauschka and percussionist Samuli Kosminen, Dutch neurologist Erik Scherder, electronic music pioneer Brian Crabtree and many more. In 2022, Kuusisto will release his first album as a conductor together with violinist Vilde Frang and the Deutsche Kammer­philharmonie Bremen.

Belgian cellist Marc Froncoux studied at the Music Colleges in both Brussels and Detmold, with Edmond Baert and Professor Andre Navarra respectively. He is the prize winner of several competitions such as the international Premio Vittorio Gui competition in Florence. On completing his studies, Marc Froncoux was appointed teacher of Professor Edmond Baert’s solo class in Brussels and also played solo cello at the Opera in Lucca, Italy.

Marc Froncoux has been solo cellist with The Deutsche Kammer­philharmonie Bremen since 1998. In his adopted North German home, he conducts the Oldenburg Chamber Orchestra and is regularly involved in chamber music courses for amateurs.

Along with The Deutsche Kammer­philharmonie Bremen he has guested in many concert venues in numerous international capitals. He is one of the section leaders in the orchestra and regularly performs in the orchestra’s series of chamber music concerts.

In his free time, Marc Froncoux enjoys spending time in the country. He trains regularly for his trekking tours in the Himalayas, thus combining healthy exercise with his search for inner calm.

Peijun Xu, who was born in Shanghai, is one of the leading viola players of her generation. As soloist, she has given guest performances in such renowned concert halls as the Shanghai Concert Hall, the Laeiszhalle Hamburg, and the Alte Opera in Frankfurt. She plays regularly with the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, the State Symphony Orchestra New Russia, the Hofer Symphonica, the Württemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn, the Philharmonia Baden-Baden and the Hamburg Camerata with conductors such as Muhai Tang, Yuri Bashmet, Clemens Schuldt and Ralf Gothóni. She has also performed the premiere of several new works for viola including Beispiel ›Peregrina‹ by Ralf Gothóni and ›Water Melodies‹ by Thorsten Encke.

Peijun Xu’s debut CD appeared in 2012 on the ARS label. Her second CD, featuring works by Vieuxtemps, Milhaud, Fauré and Franck, was released in 2014 on the Hänssler label.

Peijun Xu has been awarded several international awards including First Prize at the International Max Rostal Competition in Berlin and the International Yuri Bashmet Viola Competition in Moscow.

Peijun Xu has studied with Professor Roland Glassl at the Frankfurt College of Music, with Professor Nobuko Imai at the Kronberg Academy and with Tabea Zimmerman at the Hanns Eisler College of Music in Berlin. She has also taught Viola in Frankfurt am Main and is currently teaching Viola at Detmold College of Music.