Anssi Karttunen

Anssi Karttunen (born 1960) is a Finnish cellist, now residing in Paris. He was taught by Erkki Rautio, William Pleeth, Jacqueline du Pré and Tibor de Machula, and has given the world premiere of over 80 works for cello as a soloist and chamber musician. Karttunen was the artistic director of the Avanti! Chamber orchestra between 1994 and 1998, the artistic director of the Helsinki Biennale in 1995 and 1997, and of the Suvisoitto-festival in Porvoo, Finland (1994-1997). He was the principal cellist of the London Sinfonietta from 1999 to 2005). As a conductor, he has worked with the Los Angeles Philharmonic cello ensemble, and the Gaida Ensemble in Vilnius.