Julian Metzger

German-born cellist Julian Metzger has been a force of musical energy since he first wrapped his hands around a cello at the age of four. Raised in a family where music was a calling—his father a dedicated music teacher and choral conductor, his uncle a distinguished cellist—Julian’s early life was steeped in sound, discipline and inspiration. That foundation ignited a passion that would carry him far beyond his native Bad Berleburg, beginning a lifelong conversation with the instrument that has shaped his artistic identity. His journey brought him to England whilst still in his teens, where the historic cloisters of Wells Cathedral School became the backdrop to a formative musical awakening under the guidance of Dr Ioan Davies, legendary former cellist of the Fitzwilliam String Quartet. His artistic journey continued at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Stefan Popov, before pursuing further artistic refinement in private mentorship with the celebrated Raphael Wallfisch. Along the way, encounters with David Strange, Steve Doane, Yfrah Neaman, Paul Roberts and Norbert Brainin left indelible marks — each adding a new colour to his expressive palette, a new angle to his musical imagination. As a concerto soloist, Julian brings intensity, elegance and drama to the stage. His performances under conductors Alexander Walker, Robert Secret, Adrian Brown, Michael Rose, Anthony Weeden and Jacques Cohen have embraced both the great pillars of the cello repertoire and lesser-known treasures by Tartini, Monn, Bridge, Kabalevsky, Miaskovsky and Shostakovich. With upcoming performances of Beethoven’s radiant Triple Concerto and Brahms’s noble Double Concerto, Julian continues to expand his artistic landscape with the same blend of authority and imagination.

A passionate chamber musician, Julian’s artistry thrives in collaboration. His musical partnerships include performances with some of today’s most engaging performers: oboist Christopher Redgate, flautist Lisa Nelsen, violist Robert Secret, violinists Charles Sewart and Giovanni Guzzo, and pianists Marco Fatichenti, Richard Shaw and Paul Turner. He has brought his artistry to festivals such as the Buckingham Summer Festival, Beaminster Festival, Malcolm Arnold Festival, Musicfest Aberystwyth, and the International Casals Festival, where his chamber performances are frequently singled out for their intensity and insight. Always drawn to the creation of new musical identities, Julian founded the Metzger Ensemble, dedicated to the rich territory of string trio and flute quartet repertoire. His adventurous spirit later led to the trio Enigma14 with Lisa Nelsen and Paul Turner, exploring the vivid sonic world of flute–cello–piano. Since 2025, he and Lisa have continued that journey with pianist Michelle Marie Santiago, bringing renewed freshness to this unusual combination. That same year, Julian co-founded the English String Trio with violinist Michael Gemmill and violist Hannah Horton. These groups reflect his restless musical curiosity, moving effortlessly from the intimate whispers of string trios to the vibrant dialogues of mixed wind and string ensembles.

Equally at home within the orchestral fold, Julian appears regularly as principal and sub-principal cellist with the English Symphony Orchestra, London Gala Orchestra, Orchestra of Stowe Opera, Westminster Chamber Orchestra and Orchestra Pro Anima, with additional engagements including the Northern Ballet, Brighton Philharmonic, Oxford Philharmonic, Oxford City Orchestra, London Concert Orchestra, Sinfonia Viva and the English String Orchestra.

Yet amid all the performing, teaching remains one of Julian’s deepest callings. With more than forty students each week at Kimbolton School, Bedford Girls’ School, Warwick University, the Purcell School and privately, he passes on the flame that once passed to him—and many of his students now

walk the halls of leading conservatoires. His masterclasses at Wells Cathedral School, New College School Oxford and for the Milton Keynes Music Service, along with his frequent work at Benslow Music, reveal a musician who inspires not only through sound but through presence, patience and imagination.

With a musician’s heart rooted in lyricism and a performer’s spirit drawn to exploration, Julian Metzger continues to shape a career defined by curiosity, collaboration and the ever-evolving voice of the cello.