Anssi Karttunen

Anssi Karttunen is a Finnish cellist known above all for contemporary classical music. He has premiered and championed works by living composers, including fellow Finns Magnus Lindberg and Kaija Saariaho, for whom he has been a dedicated interpreter.

Magnus Lindberg has written substantial cello music for him, including his Cello Concerto, and Kaija Saariaho composed her cello-and-electronics work "Amers" (1992) with Karttunen in mind. He has also premiered works by many other contemporary composers over a decades-long career.

Yes, he spent many years as principal cellist of the London Sinfonietta, one of the leading ensembles for new music. That position fed directly into his work with composers of his generation.

Yes, his discography includes recordings of the Lindberg cello concertos and chamber works as well as Saariaho's cello music, much of it tied to his close work with conductors such as Esa-Pekka Salonen. These recordings are a main way listeners hear this repertoire.

Beyond performing, he is active as a teacher and chamber musician at masterclasses and contemporary-music programs internationally. His career has centered on expanding the cello repertoire rather than only playing the standard canon.