Kian Soltani is an Austrian cellist with Persian roots. DW caught up with him at Bonn’s Beethovenfest (the birthplace of Beethoven), where his virtuosity is causing quite the stir.

Bonn

Kian Soltani, an acclaimed cellist, is recognized for his unique sound and expressive performances. Critics have praised his tone, and Soltani himself emphasizes the importance of emotional connection and flow in his music. He performs on a historic Stradivari cello, known as the Ex Bocherini, which adds to the depth of his artistry.

Soltani's musical journey began in childhood, influenced by his musician parents and a blend of classical and Persian folk music. He values physical fitness to support his demanding career and regularly collaborates with his father to fuse Eastern and Western musical traditions. Audiences and critics alike have noted the emotional impact of his performances, highlighting his commitment to conveying feeling through music.

Star cellist Kian Soltani and his unmistakable sound

There are many cellists in the world, but none that sound quite like Kian Soltani. A star of the classical music scene, critics have compared his tone to the richness of caramel. For Kian, it's more than just notes on a page. It's emotion itself. When I'm on stage, all I care about is expressing something to the audience and creating this amazing feeling of what I call flow. When you're really in the zone and in the moment, and you forget actually this, all of this, you completely forget about it. You forget about left hand, right hand. You just think about the expression. Today, Kian is rehearsing with the Deutsches Symphonieorchester Berlin. It's for his performance at this year's Beethovenfest in Bonn. But the festival's namesake is more than just a great composer to Kian. Beethoven, you know, if you would come to my practice room, you will see above the piano there's a huge portrait of Beethoven. So he's actually my number one composer. And I bought that portrait here in Bonn, actually. The first time I came to Bonn, which is many, many years ago, I think more than ten years ago. Kian has a distinct sound, complemented by an equally distinct instrument, a historic Stradivari cello. Built over 300 years ago, its craftsmanship and sound remain unmatched. When Kian picks it up, it's not just an instrument in his hands, but a piece of musical history. The name of the instrument is called the Ex Bocherini. Bocherini was a very, very famous cellist and composer. Every cellist plays Bocherini. He's like our hero, kind of. And so apparently this cello used to belong to him. Now, I don't know if he really played on it much or not, but just the idea of it is already very inspiring. Kian's musical journey on the cello began at the tender age of four. He grew up in a family of musicians, his mother a harpist, his father a bassoonist. They moved to Austria from Tehran. The family's shared love for both classical and Persian folk music brings them together regularly. Once or twice a year, I perform together with my father on stage. We have like an ensemble of the traditional Persian music combined with cello, which is of course not a Persian instrument at all. And that sort of bridge, that fusion from east to west, that is so interesting for me also as a classically trained cellist, to reconnect with my roots like that. Aside from practicing, there's another routine Kian sticks to regularly. Even on concert days, he exercises. It's about balance and making up for all the sitting during concerts, rehearsals and travel. In my 20s, I had like a personal trainer, a friend of mine who used to be a cellist herself who became a personal trainer. That was perfect for me. So she really knew exactly what we need as musicians. And she was like a really eye-opening experience for me to work with her. That really helped me to understand the importance of being fit as a musician, especially if you travel as much as I do. For Kian, being on stage is about building a connection with the audience. At the concert in Bonn, it's clear he did just that. He did something very special, like it's very touched my heart. The cello player, Soltani, it was unbelievably good. It was really great. I really love the solo cellist. It was really fantastic. For Kian Soltani, music isn't just about technical perfection. It's about feeling. And it's that feeling that he hopes the audience will take home with them. Thank you.

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