“He moves with the ease of an acrobat – better than some violinists would.” — Presto o muzyce
Dongkyun An is recognized around the world as a cellist and artist of unique quality, known at the highest for his unorthodox methods and obsession for total artistic control. His debut album Primo with pianist Benjamin Smith was quoted by Presto o muzyce: “The recording is perfectly produced and leaves the listener in astonishment and wonder for the incredible talent”.
By age 24, Dongkyun An had already been a top prize winner in major competitions: Concours OSM in 2010, International Johannes Brahms Competition in 2011, and Prague Spring International competition in 2012.
As a soloist, Dongkyun An performs regularly throughout Europe and North America. Notable soloist appearances include the Pilsen Philharmonic, Karlovy Vary Symphony, and Edmonton Symphony. As a passionate recital artist, An has performed in notable venues such as Tonhalle Zürich, Conway Hall, and Wigmore Hall. Latest highlights include a debut recital in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in 2014.
As a member of the Lipkind Quartet, Dongkyun An has toured extensively throughout Europe. Notable venues include Tonhalle Zürich, Hessischer Rundfunk, and AMUZ.
An is a frequent guest artist in various festivals such as the GAIA Musikfestival and has collaborated with artists such as Artiom Shishkov, Lena Neudauer, Anna Lipkind, Ivry Gitlis, Roman Zaslavsky, Tatiana Samouil, Jan Talich, and Gavriel Lipkind.
After receiving his first cello lesson at the age of 13 by Chun-Ja Choi, important mentors in his life have been Tanya Prochazka, Colin Ryan, Raphael Wallfisch, Martin Zeller, and Gavriel Lipkind. An received his Master of Music degree from the Zürich Musikhochschule in 2011.