Johannes Rostamo

Finnish cellist Johannes Rostamo is a versatile musician, interested in all forms of musical communication, from early Baroque to contemporary music, from jazz to folk music.

He has served as principal cellist of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra since 2008 and as professor of cello at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm since 2022.

Rostamo also has an active career as soloist, chamber musician, and Baroque musician. In addition, he is the artistic leader of the early-music ensemble Orfeus Barock Stockholm, which conducts a concert series in Grünewaldsalen, Stockholm.

Rostamo enjoys creating projects such as CelloCelloCello, a solo endeavor where he presents the timeline of his instrument from the 17th century until contemporary music of today, combining both the Baroque and modern cello.

He is also a founding member of the chamber music concept Stockholm Syndrome Ensemble, which experiments with the concert form itself and collaborates with musicians and artists of all genres. Since 2011, this acclaimed group has had concert series in Stockholm and their albums Moveable Feast (Channel Classics) and Voices of Angels (BIS) were both received with highest praise. His recording with Orfeus Barock Ensemble playing C.P.E. Bach’s A minor Cello Concerto received a Swedish Grammy nomination.

During the summer season, Rostamo is also a recurrent guest at several major chamber music festivals throughout Europe. As an orchestra soloist, he appears regularly with orchestras in the Nordic countries.

Apart from his work in Stockholm, Rostamo is often invited to work as a guest cellist in orchestras such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Les Siécles (Paris), Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and Camerata Bern. In addition, he is a regular guest in the Chamber Orchestra of Europe.

Rostamo studied music in Helsinki, Stockholm, Oslo, and at the ECMA (European Chamber Music Academy) with professors Heikki Rautasalo, Torleif Thedéen, Truls Mörk, Frans Helmerson and Hatto Beyerle. In addition he has studied Baroque cello with Emmanuel Balssa, Bruno Cocset and Gaetano Nasillo.

He plays a cello built by Antonio Stradivari in Cremona 1698, generously loaned to him by Conni Jonsson. His Baroque cello is built by Lockey Hill in London 1770.