Pablo Ferrández
Biography
Prizewinner at the XV International Tchaikovsky Competition and SONY Classical exclusive artist, Pablo Ferrández is hailed as a “new cello genius” (Le Figaro). A captivating performer, “Ferrández has the lot: technique, mettle, spirit, authority as a soloist, expressivity and charm” (El Pais). He has turned into a cello phenomenon and one of the most in-demand instrumentalists of his generation.
His debut album under SONY Classical, “Reflections”, released in 2021, was highly acclaimed by the critics and praised with the Opus Klassik Award. In Fall 2022 Pablo Ferrández released his second album, which comprised the Brahms Double Concerto, performed with Anne-Sophie Mutter, the Czech Philharmonic under M.Honeck, as well as Clara Schumann’s Piano Trio, performed with Ms. Mutter and Lambert Orkis, also receiving rave reviews.
Recent highlights included appearances with LA Philharmonic at Hollywood Bowl, Czech Philharmonic, Filarmonica della Scala, Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Oslo Philharmonic, Seoul Philharmonic, Bayersichen Rundfunk Symphony Orchestra, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, Konzerthaus Orchester, Tonkuenslter Orchestra, Vienna Radio Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Israel Philharmonic and Rotterdam Philharmonic. Ferrández toured last season with Anne-Sophie Mutter and the London Philharmonic under Ed Gardner, with Munich Philharmonic under Myung-whun Chung, and with the Antwerp Symphony under Elim Chan. He is also frequently invited to international renown festivals such as Verbier, Salzburg, Dresden, Sion, Dvorak Prague Festival, Grant Park and Jerusalem, among others.
The 23/24 season brings the debut at the David Geffen Hall in New York with the Orquesta del Teatro Real, and also with the Boston Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Tonhalle Orchestra, Strasbourg Philharmonic, Orchestre Philharmonique de Liege, Stavanger Symphony, Musikkollegium Winterthur, the returns to the Rotterdam Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Dusseldorf Symphony,HR-Sinfonieorchester, Orchestra National de France and Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia. Ferrández will also return to the LA Philharmonic, performing Brahms Double Concerto with Anne-Sophie Mutter under G. Dudamel, and will tour with the Czech Philharmonic under S. Bychkov in Japan and Europe, performing Dvorak Cello Concerto.
Born in Madrid in 1991, in a family of musicians, Pablo Ferrández joined the prestigious Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía when he was 13 to study with Natalia Shakhovskaya. After that he completed his studies at the Kronberg Academy with Frans Helmerson and became scholar of the Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation.
Mr. Ferrández plays the Stradivarius “Archinto” 1689, on a generous life-long loan from a member of the Stretton Society.
Current album
Moonlight Variations
Artists Pablo FerrándezRelease Date: 05/23/2025
Star cellist Pablo Ferrández has realized a twenty-year dream to record Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations on his latest album for Sony Classical, combining the spirited work with melancholy nocturnes to create Moonlight Variations - an album he describes as ‘night followed by day.’
The night-time has long fascinated Ferrández. On his new album, he assembles eleven handpicked gems by composers from Antonín Dvořák to Manuel Ponce that speak of the heighted emotional intimacy of the dark hours. The cellist has arranged songs, piano nocturnes, violin works and an opera aria. ‘I feel more creative at night,’ says the cellist. ‘I’m not alone in that. So many composers have written special music connected to this time. They all felt a difference in the world once the sun had gone down.’
In addition to Tchaikovsky’s extended variation set, recorded in Örebro with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra under Martin Fröst, Ferrández includes movements from Liszt’s Liebestraum and Schumann’s Kinderszenen, transcriptions of piano nocturnes by Chopin and songs by Schubert and Debussy. The album also includes two additional works by Tchaikovsky including the composer’s own arrangement for cello and orchestra of his ‘Nocturne’ from 6 Pieces for Piano.
‘We made a decision to make our arrangements true to the instrument I’m playing while not removing the piece from its original concept,’ says Ferrández. ‘The idea was to give each piece a personality of its own that suits the cello. I was thinking, of course, of singing - of that more human kind of expression. One reason I love to play lieder is that we always try to sing though the cello.’
The recording constitutes Ferrández’s first on the 1689 Archinto Stradivarius he recently acquired. ‘I haven’t heard any other cello with this warmth and I think it really suits my vocal approach and the mellow feeling I wanted to convey here,’ he says.
Ferrández’s attitude to the night hours is supported by recent scientific research, which suggests the brain’s neurotransmitters shift gear markedly at night, opening up pathways to pleasure and communication. ‘My timing feels different at night,’ days Ferrández, ‘I am somehow more relaxed, more open.’
Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations is a staple of the concertante repertoire for solo cellists. Ferrández has played the work for twenty years. He relished the opportunity to record it with fellow Sony artist Martin Fröst and his Swedish Chamber Orchestra. ‘I just love Martin as a musician, he is full of intuition and sensibility and is incredibly inspiring,’ says Ferrández. ‘I have played with him a few times and I think he must be the best clarinetist in history. As a conductor, I thought he would be a perfect fit for the Rococo Variations because of his expertise in Mozart. Mozart was Tchaikovsky’s favorite composer and Tchaikovsky is clearly channeling something of his Classical spirit in this piece.’
Joining Ferrández for the piano and cello works is his regular piano partner Julien Quentin. ‘Julien is a great musician and a great friend,’ says the cellist. ‘We have previously recorded night-themed music together for Sony, which came out of our Night Sessions project where we would gather musicians and friends together at Julien’s house and play, talk and drink wine. We have tried to capture the same atmosphere in our collaboration on this album. Every time we play together it feels like being at home.’
Pablo Ferrández was born in 1991 Madrid and named after the great Spanish cellist, Pablo Casals. He released his debut solo album on Sony in 2021 to critical acclaim and has since recorded as a concerto partner with Anne-Sophie Mutter and won an Opus Klassik Awards.
