ARTIST PROFILE:
Maximilian Hornung

Maximilian Hornung is regarded as one of the most remarkable cellists on the international stage. “An exceptional soloist, with a powerful, broad and beautiful sound, impeccable technique [and] immense musicality” (Scherzo), he is oft-praised not only for his technical mastery and versatility, but also for his extraordinary depth of tone, boundless range of colours, and natural sophistication. In addition to much-loved core repertoire, Hornung carries an impressive and wide-ranging catalogue, and devotes himself to lesser-known cello masterpieces and newer works.

In the 2026-27 season, Hornung performs with orchestras including the WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Mozarteumorchester Salzburg, Zurich Chamber Orchestra, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Orquestra Gulbenkian, Beethoven Orchestra Bonn and Kammerakademie Potsdam. In summer 2026 he also makes his BBC Proms debut with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Adam Hickox.

Previous orchestral highlights include his recent and highly acclaimed debut with the Berliner Philharmoniker, as well as performances with Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Wiener Symphoniker, Swedish Radio Symphony, London Philharmonic, Dallas Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Oslo Philharmonic and Orchestre National de France. Hornung has worked with a number of today’s leading conductors, including Daniel Harding, Yannick Nézét-Séguin, Paavo Järvi, Marie Jacquot, Esa-Pekka Salonen, David Zinman, Lorenzo Viotti, Pablo Heras-Casado, Semyon Bychkov, Manfred Honeck, Antonello Manacorda, John Storgårds, Michael Francis, Thomas Søndergård, Krzysztof Urbański, Thomas Guggeis, Andrew Manze and Robin Ticciati. In recent years, Hornung has also established himself as a soloist and conductor, and regularly directs projects, most recently with the Münchner Symphoniker.

As a recitalist, Hornung is a regular guest at world-class venues such as the Berliner Philharmonie, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Vienna’s Musikverein and Konzerthaus, as well as festivals including Salzburg, Rheingau, Lucerne, Verbier, Schleswig-Holstein, Ravinia, and Hong Kong. His chamber music partners include Anne-Sophie Mutter, Lisa Batiashvili, Julia Fischer, Antje Weithaas, Hélène Grimaud, Daniil Trifonov, François Leleux, Joshua Bell, Yefim Bronfman, Vilde Frang and Denis Kozhukhin.

Hornung’s extensive discography spans solo performances and collaborations with prominent chamber musicians. He received an ECHO Klassik Prize in both 2011 for his debut album Jump! (Sony, 2010) and again in 2012 for his recording of Dvořák’s Cello Concerto with the Bamberger Symphoniker under the direction of Sebastian Tewinkel (Sony, 2012). Further recordings include Richard Strauss’ major cello works with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks under Bernard Haitink (Sony, 2014) and Joseph Haydn’s cello concerti with the Kammerakademie Potsdam under Antonello Manacorda (Sony, 2015). In 2017, Deutsche Grammophon released a highly acclaimed recording of Schubert’s Trout Quintet in which Hornung performed together with Anne-Sophie Mutter and Daniil Trifonov, among others. In 2018, myrios classics released his recording of Dmitri Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 2 and Sulkhan Tsintsadze’s Cello Concerto No. 2 with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin under Andris Poga. Further recordings have been released on Genuin, Linn Records, NEOS, Bridge Records, and CPO. This season, Hornung prepares for the release of a new album under Pentatone with long-term recital partner Hisako Kawamura.

Born in Augsburg in 1986, Hornung began his cello studies at the age of 8, receiving considerable training from Eldar Issakadze, Thomas Grossenbacher, and David Geringas. Until 2011, he served as cellist of the Tecchler Trio, winning First Prize at the ARD International Music Competition in 2007. At the age of only 23, he was appointed first principal cellist of the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, a position that he held until 2013. Hornung has been supported and sponsored by the Borletti-Buitoni Trust in London and his mentor Anne-Sophie Mutter. Since 2022, he has been Artistic Director of the Traunsteiner Sommerkonzerte.