One of the world’s most versatile cellists, Alban Gerhardt has for 25 years made a unique impact on audiences worldwide with his intense musicality, compelling stage presence and insatiable artistic curiosity. His gift for shedding fresh light on familiar scores, and his appetite for investigating new repertoire from centuries past and present, truly set him apart from his peers.

Alongside an extensive repertoire comprising all the core concertos, Gerhardt is also first choice of soloist for many contemporary composers, including Julian Anderson and Brett Dean. His recording of Unsuk Chin’s Cello Concerto – a work written specially for him – won a BBC Music Magazine Award and was shortlisted for a Gramophone Award in 2015. Also a keen chamber musician, Gerhardt regularly works with artists across all disciplines.

Alban Gerhardt begins his Festival residency with Elgar’s timeless Cello Concerto performed with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Edward Gardner.

Gerhardt spends an hour in Benjamin Britten’s composition studio in conversation with Archive staff, exploring materials from the collection including the manuscript of Britten's Cello Sonata.

He joins forces with soprano Claire Booth, pianist Jospeh Havlat and violinist Charlotte Saluste-Bridoux to perform two works by Thomas Larcher.

Gerhardt is joined by his regular collaborator pianist Steven Osborne to recreate a seminal moment in Aldeburgh Festival history: the July 1961 recital with Britten and Rostropovich that saw the first performance of Britten’s Cello Sonata.

Gerhardt plays his chosen pairing of suites by Bach and Britten.

He performs Unsuk Chin’s Cello Concerto with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and conductor Ryan Wigglesworth.

Click here to download performance programme notes.