Hailed by The Times as a »remarkable cellist« and described by Gramophone as »sheer perfection«, Kian Soltani’s playing is characterised by a depth of expression, sense of individuality and technical mastery, alongside a charismatic stage presence and ability to create an immediate emotional connection with his audience. He is now invited by the world’s leading orchestras, conductors and recital promoters, propelling him from rising star to one of the most talked about cellists performing today. 

His recent orchestral highlights include his residency in 23/24 with the Tonhalle-Orchester Zurich and concerts with orchestras like the NDR Elbphilharmonieorchester, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra and Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. As a recitalist he continues to appear in prestigious halls and series including at the Pierre Boulez Saal, Berlin; Wigmore Hall, London; Musikverein and Konzerthaus Vienna and he appears regularly at festivals.

In 2017, Soltani signed an exclusive recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon. His first disc »Home«, comprising works for cello and piano by Schubert, Schumann and Reza Vali, was released to international acclaim in 2018. Soltani has since recorded discs including the Dvořák and Tchaikovsky Piano Trios with Lahav Shani and Renaud Capuçon, and Dvořák’s Cello Concerto with the Staatskapelle Berlin and Daniel Barenboim in August 2020.

He recently won Innovative Listening Experience Award at the coveted Opus Klassik Awards 2022, Germany’s most prestigious classical music prize which honours outstanding artists and recordings, for his ‘Cello Unlimited’ album released back in October 2021. He has worked on this latest disc with Deutsche Grammophon during the entirety of 2020, and it is a celebration of the cello and film music. Of the disc, Soltani wrote: »Everything you will hear on this album is made only and exclusively with my cello and played only by me. The possibilities of this instrument are unlimited and infinite, and this album is a celebration of the instrument and of epic film music as well«.

Soltani attracted worldwide attention in April 2013 as winner of the International Paulo Cello Competition in Helsinki. In February 2017 Soltani won Germany’s celebrated Leonard Bernstein Award and in December 2017, he was awarded the prestigious Credit Suisse Young Artist Award.

Born in Bregenz, Austria, in 1992 to a family of Persian musicians, Soltani began playing the cello at age four and was only twelve when he joined Ivan Monighetti’s class at the Basel Music Academy. He was chosen as an Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation scholarship holder in 2014 and completed his further studies at Germany’s Kronberg Academy. As of October 2023, he holds position as a professor of cello at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, Austria.