Anja Lechner

Artist Website
“One of the most gifted cellists in the world, often bridging the gap between contemporary and traditional, east and west, and arranged and improvisational music”
– Greg Cahill, Strings, USA
 
Cellist Anja Lechner was born in Kassel, Germany, and studied with Heinrich Schiff and János Starker. Though her roots are classical – she speaks of coming from “a land of forgotten folksongs” where childhood melodies were supplied by Bach, Schubert, and Schumann – her musical interests span the globe and embrace a wide range of improvisational traditions. She has described the appeal of folk music as springing from its “abundance of songs, songs that tell stories”.
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“One of the most gifted cellists in the world, often bridging the gap between contemporary and traditional, east and west, and arranged and improvisational music”
– Greg Cahill, Strings, USA
 
Cellist Anja Lechner was born in Kassel, Germany, and studied with Heinrich Schiff and János Starker. Though her roots are classical – she speaks of coming from “a land of forgotten folksongs” where childhood melodies were supplied by Bach, Schubert, and Schumann – her musical interests span the globe and embrace a wide range of improvisational traditions. She has described the appeal of folk music as springing from its “abundance of songs, songs that tell stories”.
 
Anja Lechner’s projects for ECM include a long-running artistic collaboration with Argentine bandoneonist-composer Dino Saluzzi (“El Encuentro”, “Navidad de los Andes”, “Ojos negros” and, with the Rosamunde Quartet, “Kultrum”); music by composer-philosopher G.I. Gurdjieff (“Chants, Hymns and Dances”), a recording made in partnership Greek pianist Vassilis Tsabropoulos which topped the US classical charts; and, with French pianist François Couturier, music by Komitas, Mompou, and Gurdjieff. From 1992 until it disbanded 18 years later, Lechner was the cellist of the Munich-based Rosamunde Quartet, whose acclaimed ECM New Series recordings include music by Mansurian, Schoeck, Larcher, Webern, Shostakovich, Burian, Haydn, and Yoffe.
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Date All Primary Artist Appears on Composer
YEAR DATE Artist VENUE LOCATION
2026 March 14 Anja Lechner / Pablo Márquez Piano di primo Festival Alschwill, Switzerland Event
2026 March 26 Anja Lechner

"Bach-Abel-Hume"

 Akademie der schönen Künste Munich, Germany Event
2026 April 15 Anouar Brahem Quartet w/ Django Bates, Mats Eilertsen, Anja Lechner

"After The Last Sky"

 Cully Jazz Cully, Switzerland Event
2026 April 22 Anja Lechner

"Bach-Abel-Hume"

 Karolinenkirche Rosenheim, Germany
2026 May 01 Anja Lechner

"Bach-Abel-Hume"

 ECM Festival Augustinermuseum Freiburg, Germany Event
2026 May 21 Anouar Brahem Quartet w/ Django Bates, Mats Eilertsen, Anja Lechner

"After The Last Sky"

 Auditório Ibirapuera São Paolo, Brazil Event
2026 July 11 Anouar Brahem Quartet w/ Django Bates, Mats Eilertsen, Anja Lechner

"After The Last Sky"

 North Sea Jazz Festival Rotterdam, Netherlands Event
2026 July 15 Anouar Brahem Quartet w/ Django Bates, Mats Eilertsen, Anja Lechner

"After The Last Sky"

 tba Bratislava, Slovakia
2026 July 18 Anouar Brahem Quartet w/ Django Bates, Mats Eilertsen, Anja Lechner

"After The Last Sky"

 Festival International De Música Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal
2026 July 19 Anouar Brahem Quartet w/ Django Bates, Mats Eilertsen, Anja Lechner

"After The Last Sky"

 Festival International De Música Porto, Portugal
2026 August 31 Anja Lechner

"Bach-Abel-Hume"

 Musica Sulle Bocche Alghero, Italy
2026 October 08 Anouar Brahem Quartet w/ Django Bates, Mats Eilertsen, Anja Lechner

"After The Last Sky"

 Flagey Brussels, Belgium