Michael Heupel, Cello

Biography

Michael Heupel is a sought-after soloist and chamber musician. His dynamic approach to music-making and creative programming have lead to performances in prestigious halls all over the world, such as the Athens Megaron, the Elbphilharmonie and the Laeiszhalle in Hamburg, the Cadillac Shanghai Concert Hall, the SFCM Concert Hall, the Cuvilliés Theater in Munich, the Onassis Cultural Center in Athens and the Liederhalle Stuttgart.
Born 1988 in Athens, Michael Heupel began his musical education at the age of 5. At the age of 14 he attended the class of Renato Ripo at the Modern conservatory of Athens. There he obtained the diploma for cello with the highest grade and was awarded the first Prize and the gold medal of the conservatory at the age of 17. In October 2006 he began his studies in the University of Music, Drama and Media in Hanover in the class of Prof. Tilmann Wick, and graduated with distinction in 2011. From 2011 to 2014 he completed his Masters degree in the University of Music and Drama in Hamburg in the class of Arto Noras. Numerous masterclasses and private lessons with eminent artists and teachers like David Geringas, Bernard Greenhouse, Julius Berger, Jens Peter Maintz, Anner Bylsma, Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt, Bernard Gmelin, Gerhard Darmstadt, Anatoli Krastev and Enrico Bronzi have helped him develop his artistic personality and earn prizes in national and international competitions, like the Panhellenic Youth Music Competition, the Masefield Competition in Hamburg and the International Mozart competition in Hagen. He is also holder of the Onassis foundation scholarship as well as the Future of Orchestra Culture Scholarship by the HfMT Hamburg.
Michael Heupel’s repertoire ranges from the baroque to contemporary music, while also delving into improvisation and other genres of music. While his interpretations of the classical repertoire have earned great public response and critical acclaim, his dedication to the study and interpretation of contemporary music has prompted many composers to write works for him. In order to explore a wider range of contemporary music, he is also a founding member and the artistic director of the Ensemble Volans, which consists of young musicians living in Hamburg. His commitment to contemporary music is also apparent on his first cd “Afierossis”, for which he recorded works for solo cello from the 20th and 21st century.
Apart from his concerts he has sought to create more direct contact to broader audiences with music through a plethora of articles he has published in the mainstream media as well as presentations for children and adults. He has given lectures on classical and contemporary music in many institutions in Greece and Germany. In 2016 he was invited to give a talk and perform at the TEDxAcademy in Athens on the topic of music’s power to change people and society. He also teaches the cello in Hamburg and in masterclasses around Europe.
He plays on a cello built in 1723 by David Tecchler in Rome.