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”.
[...]
“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.
Read moreRead less
Date All Primary Artist Appears on Composer
YEAR DATE Artist VENUE LOCATION
2023 October 08 Anja Lechner / Anna Gourari / Hanna Weinmeister

Piano trios by Valentin Silvestrov; W.A. Mozart; Tigran Mansurian; Robert Schumann

 Festival CONTAMINAZIONI CONTEMPORANEE Bergamo, Italy
2023 October 14 Anja Lechner / François Couturier

"Lontano"

 Sudhaus Tübingen, Germany Event
2023 October 20 Anja Lechner / François Couturier

"Lontano"

 Jazz & The City Salzburger Marionettentheater Salzburg, Austria Event
2023 October 20 Anja Lechner Kollegienkirche Salzburg, Austria Event
2023 October 25 Anja Lechner Enjoy Jazz Festival Schwetzingen, Germany Event
2023 October 29 Anja Lechner / Anna Gourari / Hanna Weinmeister

Piano trios by Valentin Silvestrov; W.A. Mozart; Tigran Mansurian; Robert Schumann

 Triskel Christ Church Cork, Ireland
2023 November 02 Anja Lechner / Anna Gourari / Hanna Weinmeister

Piano trios by Valentin Silvestrov; W.A. Mozart; Tigran Mansurian; Robert Schumann

 Wigmore Hall London, United Kingdom
2024 February 17 Arvo Pärt / Tõnu Kaljuste / Estonian Philh. Chamber Choir / Anja Lechner

Zeitinsel Arvo Pärt w/Tõnu Kaljuste / Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir / Anja Lechner

 Konzerthaus Dortmund, Germany