The British cellist Steven Isserlis is world famous for his flawless technique and his phenomenal musicality and creativity. As a soloist, he performs with the most well-known international orchestras. He is a regular guest at Wigmore Hall, at 92nd St in New York and at the Salzburg Festival, where he gives recitals and chamber music concerts, partnering Joshua Bell, Isabelle Faust, András Schiff, Stephen Hough, Olli Mustonen, Connie Shih and Richard Egarr. He compiles his programmes according to particular themes such as the exploration of Czech music, the cello’s affinity with the human voice or, as in ›The Cello in Wartime‹, the music of the First World War.

Isserlis’ greatest passion is historical performance practice. He performs with the leading Baroque orchestras and often directs chamber music performances from the cello. An equally fervent advocate and performer of contemporary music, he has worked together with – and performed numerous works by – composers such as John Tavener, Wolfgang Rihm and György Kurtag. In addition, Isserlis is the author of several children’s books and, as a sought-after teacher, gives masterclasses both at the Kronberg Academy and also in his role as Artistic Director of the International Music Course in Prussia Cove, Cornwall.

Isserlis’ discography has won many prizes and includes the Bach Cello Suites, recordings of the great cello concertos, Beethoven’s Cello Sonatas with Robert Levin, Lieux retrouvés with Thomas Adès and Haydn’s Cello Concerto with the Deutsche Kammer­philharmonie Bremen.

Born in London in 1971, Thomas Adès is considered one of today’s most important contemporary composers. In addition, this musician is also well known as a pianist and conductor, performing regularly with leading orchestras, opera ensembles and festivals right across the world. Among his works feature several operas; ›The Exterminating Angel‹ which was premiered at the Salzburg Festival in 2016, at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and again at the Royal Opera House in London with Adès on the conductor’s podium, ›The Tempest‹ and the Chamber Opera ›Powder Her Face‹ – which Adès composed aged only 24. His orchestral works include ›Asyla‹, ›Tevot‹ and his violin concerto ›Concentric Paths‹ – with performances in Carnegie Hall, at the Festspiele Berlin and the BBC Proms – as well as numerous celebrated chamber and solo pieces.

As a conductor, Thomas Adès appears regularly with great international orchestras such as Los Angeles, Helsinki and the London Philharmonic Orchestras, The Gewandhaus Orchestra and the Concertgebouworkest, with whom Thomas Adès is Artist in Residence 2019/20. Among his numerous awards include the Grawemeyer Award, the Royal Philharmonic Society Composition Prize, the Diapason D’Or of the year, the Echo Klassik as well as the Gramophone Award for his CD recording of ›The Tempest‹ from The Royal Opera House. This versatile musician is also winner of a Grammy Award and was awarded the prestigious Léonie Sonning Music Prize in 2015.