Jonathan Roozeman

With a distinctive musical voice and captivating stage presence, Finnish-Dutch cellist Jonathan Roozeman (b. 1997) is rapidly establishing himself as one of the leading cellists of his generation. A laureate of the International Tchaikovsky Competition at just 17, he has since performed with major orchestras including the Mariinsky Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, St. Petersburg Philharmonic, and the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of conductors such as Valery Gergiev, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Christoph Eschenbach, and Sakari Oramo.

A graduate of the Kronberg Academy (class of Frans Helmerson) and the Sibelius Academy (Martti Rousi), Roozeman is praised for his technical mastery, intense expressivity, and refined musical insight. His repertoire ranges from the classical canon to contemporary works, with critics lauding his interpretations as “astonishingly focused” (The Strad) and “deeply communicative” (The New York Times).

Roozeman’s commitment to musical exploration has led to collaborations with artists like pianist Varvara Nepomnyashchaya and bassist-composer Lauri Porra (in the genre-defying “Bach Reimagined” project). He has been featured at prestigious festivals including Verbier, White Nights (St. Petersburg), Schleswig-Holstein, and Shanghai, and is a regular recitalist at venues such as the Berlin Konzerthaus, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, and Lincoln Center New York.

Recent highlights include acclaimed recordings of Kalevi Aho’s Cello Concerto No. 2, awarded five stars by BBC Music Magazine, and a growing number of concerto performances across Europe, Asia, and North America.

Jonathan Roozeman plays a 1707 David Tecchler cello, generously on loan from the Finnish Cultural Foundation, and uses a Persoit/Dominique Peccatte bow.