Anssi Karttunen

Finnish cellist Anssi Karttunen has been one of his country's most vigorous and effective champions of contemporary music. He has given the world premieres of more than 170 works, but has also played music of Beethoven and other mainstream repertory. Karttunen was born in Finland on September 30, 1960, and took up the cello at age four. Among his teachers were Jacqueline du Pré, William Pleeth, and Erkki Rautio. From 1994 to 1998 he was artistic director of Finland's Avanti! Chamber Orchestra, a group that specialized in contemporary music; he also recorded with that group. ...