Frank-Michael Guthmann (Germany) is the principal cellist of the SWR Symphony Orchestra and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra.

Frank-Michael studied in Karlsruhe with Martin Ostertag, in Basel with Ivan Monighetti and was a scholarship student of the Berlin Philharmonic’s Orchestra Academy. Masterclasses with Heinrich Schiff, Wolfgang Boettcher, Ralph Kirshbaum and – above all – intensive work with Steven Isserlis played an important role in his career.

A founding member of Trio Echnaton, Frank-Michael has won several prominent awards.

As a soloist and chamber musician, he has toured worldwide and has given concerts at eminent festivals. Chamber music partners include artists such as Julia Fischer, Gil Shaham, Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Daniel Müller-Schott, Leif Ove Andsnes, Alexander Melnikov, Anna Vinnitskaya, Lars Vogt and Emmanuel Pahud. He performs regularly as guest principal cellist with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra, Bamberg Symphony, Staatskapelle Dresden and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.

Recordings include chamber music by Bach, Mozart, Sibelius and Saariaho for the Coviello Classics label, and the solo part in Strauss’ Don Quixote with the SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden and Freiburg under François-Xavier Roth for the SWRmusic label.

Frank-Michael has taught at the Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe and gives masterclasses in Germany, Belgium and Italy.