Hailed by The Times as a “remarkable cellist”, Kian Soltani’s playing is characterised by a depth of expression, sense of individuality and technical mastery, alongside a charismatic stage presence and ability to create an immediate emotional connection with his audience. He is now invited by the world’s leading orchestras, conductors and recital promoters, propelling him from rising star to one of the most talked about cellists performing today.

Soltani’s 24/25 season highlights include his debut with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and artist-in-residency at the Fränkischer Sommer Festival. As a recitalist, he joins forces once again with Benjamin Grosvenor, Hyeyoon Park, and Timothy Ridout for a quartet tour and will also embark on several trio concerts with Renaud Capuçon and Mao Fujita. In celebration of the Vienna Symphony’s 125th anniversary, Soltani and the orchestra will tour Austria giving the world premiere performances of Marcus Nigsch’s concerto written for him.

Soltani attracted worldwide attention in 2013 when he won the International Paulo Cello Competition in Helsinki. In 2017, he won Germany’s celebrated Leonard Bernstein Award and the Credit Suisse Young Artist Award. The same year, Soltani became an exclusive Deutsche Grammophon recording artist and his most recent album, ‘Cello Unlimited’ won the Innovative Listening Experience Award at the Opus Klassik Awards 2022.

Born in Bregenz to a family of Persian musicians, Soltani was only twelve when he joined Ivan Monighetti’s class at the Basel Music Academy. An Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation scholarship holder, he was also a member of the Young Soloist Programme at the Kronberg Academy. Since October 2023, Soltani has held the position of professor of cello at Vienna’s University of Music and Performing Arts.

Kian Soltani plays The London, ex Boccherini Antonio Stradivari cello, kindly loaned to him by a generous sponsor through the Beares International Violin Society.