Jean-Guihen Queyras

During the 2021/22 season, the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne welcomes cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras as artist in residence. The cellist has a worldwide following for his passionate playing, which always remains at the service of the work itself. The French artist dedicates himself to a broad repertoire, performing not only classical and romantic works, but also baroque music and contemporary compositions.

With the Gürzenich Orchestra, the soloist performs a German premiere of a work dedicated to him: the cello concerto »Unveiled« by Vito Žuraj (2020/2021). In another symphony concert, he performs György Ligeti’s Cello Concerto. Music and painting are joined in the chamber concert »The Colour of Music«. Together with his son, the painter Jérémie Queyras, Jean-Guihen Queyras creates an extraordinary programme: to works ranging from Bach to Boulez, a large-scale painting will be created during the concert. In the interplay of sounds and colours, gestures and silence, father and son, together with musicians of the Gürzenich Orchestra, whisk the audience away into an intermediate realm of the arts. 

Queyras looks forward to his collaboration with the Gürzenich Orchestra: »I can hardly wait to perform these two masterpieces of the cello literature side by side with the great Gürzenich Orchestra and the unique François-Xavier Roth!«