Léo Ispir, cello
Léo Ispir, artist in residence at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel under the mentorship of Gary Hoffman, embodies the new generation of French cellists.
Born in 2002, he began playing the cello when he was 7 with Isabelle Loubaresse at the CRR of Rouen.
At the age of 14, he joined Hélène Dautry’s class at the CRR of Paris.
From 2020 to 2023, he studied with Jérôme Pernoo at the Conservatoire de Paris (CNSMD).
During this time, he received advice from Anne Gastinel at the Jaroussky Academy, where he was a laureate of the “Promotion Debussy”.
He has worked with such eminent teachers as Frans Helmerson, Julian Steckel, François Salque, Pierre Fouchenneret, Stephan Forck and Quatuor Ébène within various academies and masterclasses in Europe.
He also participated in the “Cello Masterclass” at the Kronberg Academy.
As a chamber musician, Léo has played in France, Turkey, the United States, Ukraine, Georgia, etc. with artists such as Quatuor Modigliani, Jean-François Heisser, François Salque, Svetlin Roussev and Raphaël Pidoux; and as a soloist, under the baton of Pierre Bleuse and Julien Guénebaut, among others.
He has been lucky enough to play in such renowned concert halls as Kyiv Philharmonic, Salle Gaveau, Philarmonie de Paris and Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.
He has performed in festivals such as La Folle Journée de Nantes, Les Flâneries Musicales de Reims, Festival 1001 Notes, and Les Musicales de Blanchardeau.
He is a member of the Cello8 Octet, with whom he recorded an album, ‘Ode à la Nuit’, on the Mirare label.
He played under the baton of Lahav Shani, Gianandrea Noseda and Jukka Pekka Saraste at the Tsinandali Festival in Georgia.
In addition, he has won several prizes in various competitions, including First Prize at the International Cello Competition “Tremplin”, First Prize and the Grand Prize at the Gustav Mahler International Cello Competition, and First Prize at the International Competition for Young Talents in Chamber Music in Normandy.
In February 2023, he was admitted to the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel and joined Gary Hoffman’s class.
Léo currently plays a Francis Kuttner cello on loan from Mrs Karapetyan, with the invaluable support of the Talents et Violon’celles association.