Erik Ásgeirsson, Cello

Biography

Cellist Erik Ásgeirsson has earned high praise from conductors, composers, audience members and critics alike for his “refined magic of tone colors…exquisitely beautiful melodies and enormous virtuosity” (Der Westen, Germany). The versatile young artist has been featured as soloist with orchestras in his native Michigan, Miami (Flor­ida) and Germany, with several of his world premiere collaborations broadcast on German National Radio (WDR). 

His recital and chamber music credits are many, from Italy’s Amici Della Musica and Gustav Mahler Festivals, France’s Festival Music Alp and Germany’s “Romanische Nacht” Festival, Lucerne Festival Academy (with composer-conductor Pierre Boulez), to the prestigious Beethovenfest Bonn, in addition to regular appearances in the U.S. and Canada. A frequent collaborator with pianist Pauline Martin, he currently serves as European liaison in his capacity as Associate Artistic Director of Chamber Soloists of Detroit. Following Academy fellowships in the Berlin Radio and Komische Oper Orchestras, he accepted an orchestral position in Staatskapelle Weimar.

Mr. Ásgeirsson was known to Detroit audiences well before accepting a scholarship to attend the Eastman School of Music at age sixteen.  The winner of numerous regional youth competitions, he became principal cellist and one of the youngest members of the Detroit Symphony Civic Orchestra. He secured a performance degree at the Eastman School of Music under the tutelage of Steven Doane, with an exchange year of study at Musikhochschule Freiburg with Christoph Henkel. He was the first cellist to graduate with a master’s degree in performance at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln.  Born to Icelandic and Canadian parents, Mr. Ásgeirsson is a citizen of three countries.