For Ivan Karizna, music begins with the human voice. His playing is drawn to works that speak, fracture, sing and struggle — music in which intimacy can suddenly become physical and visceral.
For Ivan Karizna, music begins with the human voice. He is drawn to works that speak, sing, struggle and sometimes break apart — music in which the most intimate expression can suddenly become something intensely physical.
For Ivan Karizna, music begins with the human voice. He is drawn to works that speak, sing, struggle and sometimes break apart — music in which the most intimate expression can suddenly become something intensely physical.
About Ivan Karizna
For Ivan Karizna, music begins with the human voice. His playing is drawn to works that speak, fracture, sing and struggle — music in which intimacy can suddenly become physical and visceral.
For Ivan Karizna, music begins with the human voice. He is drawn to works that speak, sing, struggle and sometimes break apart — music in which the most intimate expression can suddenly become something intensely physical.
About Ivan Karizna
Biography
Music begins with the human voice.
Music begins with the human voice.
Belarus-born French cellist Ivan Karizna is drawn to music as a form of storytelling. His playing combines physical intensity with an intimate, vocal quality, moving easily between near-whispered lyricism and moments of great force.
Belarus-born French cellist Ivan Karizna is drawn to music as a form of storytelling. His playing combines physical intensity with an intimate, vocal quality, moving easily between near-whispered lyricism and moments of great force.
Limelight praised his “poetic magic and power” with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and described him in Perth as a “songster and storyteller”, while Nürnberger Nachrichten called him a “profound musical storyteller and poet”.
Limelight praised his “poetic magic and power” with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and described him in Perth as a “songster and storyteller”, while Nürnberger Nachrichten called him a “profound musical storyteller and poet”.
In recent seasons, Karizna has appeared increasingly with major orchestras internationally. In December 2025 he stepped in at short notice with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Edward Gardner, performing Saint-Saëns’ First Cello Concerto and Bloch’s Schelomo. In 2026 he toured Australia with the Adelaide, Queensland, Sydney and West Australian Symphony Orchestras in Shostakovich, Dvořák and Schumann. The same season saw the Dutch premiere of Thomas Larcher’s Cello Concerto at the Concertgebouw with the Netherlands Philharmonic and Dima Slobodeniouk, alongside appearances with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
In recent seasons, Karizna has appeared increasingly with major orchestras internationally. In December 2025 he stepped in at short notice with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Edward Gardner, performing Saint-Saëns’ First Cello Concerto and Bloch’s Schelomo. In 2026 he toured Australia with the Adelaide, Queensland, Sydney and West Australian Symphony Orchestras in Shostakovich, Dvořák and Schumann. The same season saw the Dutch premiere of Thomas Larcher’s Cello Concerto at the Concertgebouw with the Netherlands Philharmonic and Dima Slobodeniouk, alongside appearances with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
His repertoire ranges from Bach, Schumann and Shostakovich to contemporary music. He is particularly drawn to works where lyricism and psychological intensity meet, and where the cello can come close to the human voice. Alongside these composers, he has worked closely with music by Thomas Larcher, Huw Watkins and Giovanni Sollima, whose Lamentatio has become a recurring encore in his performances.
His repertoire ranges from Bach, Schumann and Shostakovich to contemporary music. He is particularly drawn to works where lyricism and psychological intensity meet, and where the cello can come close to the human voice. Alongside these composers, he has worked closely with music by Thomas Larcher, Huw Watkins and Giovanni Sollima, whose Lamentatio has become a recurring encore in his performances.
He has worked with conductors including Vladimir Jurowski, Edward Gardner, Dima Slobodeniouk, Tarmo Peltokoski and Markus Poschner, and has appeared with orchestras including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
A prizewinner at both the Tchaikovsky and Queen Elisabeth Competitions, Karizna has been described by András Schiff as “one of the best cellists of his generation”. As a chamber musician he has collaborated with artists including Gidon Kremer, András Schiff, Renaud Capuçon and Christian Tetzlaff.
A prizewinner at both the Tchaikovsky and Queen Elisabeth Competitions, Karizna has been described by András Schiff as “one of the best cellists of his generation”. As a chamber musician he has collaborated with artists including Gidon Kremer, András Schiff, Renaud Capuçon and Christian Tetzlaff.
Karizna plays the 1760 Tassini cello formerly owned by Paul Tortelier, on generous loan from a member of the Stretton Society. He divides his time between Paris and Amsterdam.
Karizna plays the 1760 Tassini cello formerly owned by Paul Tortelier, on generous loan from a member of the Stretton Society. He divides his time between Paris and Amsterdam.
Artist’s statement
“Music only becomes art when you tell a story.”
“Music only becomes art when you tell a story.”