Ivan Skanavi

Ivan Skanavi, winner of the 2022 Grand-Prix Emanuel Feuermann, is one of the leading cellists of his generation, captivating audiences with his broad stylistic sound spectrum, clear projection and vast range of colours.
Combining a fruitful chamber music career with frequent solo performances, Skanavi’s resume of performances include a number of high-profile festivals, venues and orchestras such as Verbier Music Festival, Kronberg Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Festival, Gezeitenkonzerte, Chamber Music Hall of the Berlin Philharmonie, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Stuttgart Kammerorchester, Kammerphilharmonie Metamorphosen Berlin, amongst others.
2024 saw his debut in Spain with Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León and Elim Chan, a performance with MDR-Sinfonieorchester in Gewandhaus Leipzig and with Metamorphosen Berlin in Philharmonie Berlin, as well as chamber music and solo performances in Paris,
Istanbul, to name but a few.
"He masterfully possesses all the possible shades of sound produced by his instrument. He knows how to reveal the best of its melodic character, and he really dares to show his true expression, that, unfortunately, can hardly be said about many soloists nowadays." (Opus Klassiek, about Skanavi’s debut CD “Dimensions” released on “Decurio”).
Born in Russia, Ivan recieved his first cello lessons at the age of 6. His teachers in Moscow were Tamara Alexeeva, Alexey Seleznev and Alexander Rudin. Currently, Skanavi is studying at Kronberg Academy with Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt.
Ivan Skanavi is a Larsen Strings Artist, he plays a cello by Matteo Goffriller from 1720.
“Utterly remarkable virtuosity” (Colin Clarke, Verbier Festival 2021)
Since April 2023, he has been studying at Kronberg Academy with Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt, funded by the Family Ellmauer patronage.