Cellist VC Artist Jonathan Swensen on Practicing Slowly

Jargar Strings recently introduced their newest series, "Sound Talks," in collaboration with cellist Jonathan Swensen

Over the coming weeks, The Violin Channel is pleased to present Jargar Strings' "Sound Talks" series featuring cellist VC Artist Jonathan Swensen.

In the series, Jonathan will cover topics including practicing, strings setting, musical ideas and inspirations.

In today’s first video, Jonathan explains how he likes to practice for best results:

Jonathan Swensen is an ambassador for Jargar Strings. Click here to learn more about the different string sets that they offer. 

Rising star cellist Jonathan Swensen is the Joint 1st Prize Winner of the Naumburg International Cello Competition 2024 and recipient of the 2022 Avery Fisher Career Grant. Jonathan first fell in love with the cello upon hearing the Elgar Concerto at the age of six and made his concerto debut performing that very piece with Portugal’s Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Música.

September 2022 saw the release of Jonathan’s debut recording ‘Fantasia,’ on Champs Hill Records, an album of works for solo cello.

Jonathan has performed with orchestras including the Philharmonia Orchestra, Orquesta Ciudad de Granada, Copenhagen Philharmonic, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, Odense Symphony Orchestra, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Mobile Symphony, and the Greenville Symphony. He made his recital debuts at the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater and New York’s Merkin Concert Hall, with additional performances in Boston’s Jordan Hall, the Morgan Library and Museum, and the Krannert Center’s Foellinger Great Hall.

In addition to his many solo appearances, Jonathan is a frequent performer of chamber music in the U.S. and Europe — appearing at the Tivoli Festival, Copenhagen Summer Festival, Chamberfest Cleveland, Krzyżowa-Music, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Vancouver Recital Society, San Francisco Performances, and the Usedomer Musikfestival, among others.

Jonathan joined the Bowers Program of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in 2024. He has captured First Prizes at the 2019 Windsor International String Competition, the 2018 Khachaturian International Cello Competition, and the 2018 Young Concert Artists International Auditions.

A graduate of the Royal Danish Academy of Music, Jonathan continued his studies with Torleif Thedéen at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo, and Laurence Lesser at the New England Conservatory, where he received his Artist Diploma in May 2023.