Georgy Gusev is a composer, cellist, documentary filmmaker, and inventor.

He graduated from the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome.

His performances have taken him to some of the world’s most prestigious festivals. Gusev has worked with renowned musicians such as Natalia Gutman, Jordi Savall, Yo-Yo Ma, Giovanni Sollima, Enrico Dindo, and Mario Brunello, as well as internationally acclaimed artists from the popular music industry, including Randy Jackson, Mark Mancina, Walter Afanasieff and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds.

As a composer, Gusev began his career with a series of works for solo cello titled Traveler’s Diary, which later became the soundtrack for several programs broadcast by the Italian television network RAI. In 2018, he made his debut at Carnegie Hall as both a composer and performer. A year later, his new song cycle for soprano and cello premiered on the same legendary stage. Today, he continues to compose actively across a wide range of genres, collaborating with internationally acclaimed classical musicians as well as film and theater productions.

Photo credit: Anna Gvozdovskaya

Sven Helbig composes music for choir, orchestra, and chamber ensembles. A multi-instrumentalist, he combines classical compositional techniques with subtle, experimental electronics, creating a distinctive sonic universe that bridges tradition and innovation.

Raised in Eisenhüttenstadt, a planned city in eastern Germany, Helbig discovered his passion for music amid brass bands, his parents’ record collection, and the few radio stations he could receive using self-built devices. These early experiments with electronics shaped his creative approach and remain a defining element of his work to this day.

Helbig initially studied the clarinet and guitar, later adding drums and piano to his musical repertoire. His debut album, Pocket Symphonies, was released by the renowned label Deutsche Grammophon, introducing the self-taught composer to an international audience.

Sven Helbig regularly performs on international stages with his concert programs, appearing not only with classical ensembles but also as a live electronics artist and percussionist. Important milestones in his career include performances at London’s Barbican Centre and Southbank Centre, Madrid’s Reina Sofía, the Accademia dei Lincei in Rome, the Prague State Opera, the Alexandrinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Singapore’s Esplanade Concert Hall, the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, and the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden.

His compositions have been performed by leading ensembles and artists, including the BBC Singers, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the Staatskapelle Dresden, the Fauré Quartet, the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, cellist Jan Vogler, and conductor Kristjan Järvi.

Transcending traditional genre boundaries, Helbig is also a sought-after collaborator for exceptional cross-genre projects. Among others, he has worked with the Pet Shop Boys, Snoop Dogg, Rammstein, Heaven Shall Burn, and many other internationally acclaimed artists.

Since 2017, he has hosted the weekly radio program Schöne Töne on Radio Eins (Berlin), where he shares his passion and deep knowledge of music history while introducing listeners to new sounds and musical discoveries.

In recognition of his artistic achievements, Sven Helbig was awarded the Art Prize of the City of Dresden.

Photo credit: Ulrike Heise

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.

Born in Russia, Ivan received his first cello lessons at the age of 6. His teachers in Moscow were Tamara Alexeeva, Alexey Seleznev and Alexander Rudin.

Since 2017, Skanavi has been honing his skills under Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt at the University Franz Liszt Weimar and at Kronberg Academy.

Ivan Skanavi plays a cello by Matteo Goffriller from 1720.

Photo credit: Kristina Revva

The Deutsches Kammerorchester Berlin (DKO) was founded in 1989 in the spirit of German reunification and has since become an established part of Berlin’s cultural life. Today, its approximately 20 musicians, drawing on both Berlin and international backgrounds, inspire audiences with their curiosity, commitment, and exceptional artistic quality.

Under the artistic leadership of Concertmaster Gabriel Adorján, the orchestra performs regularly at the Chamber Music Hall of the Berlin Philharmonie. Its repertoire spans from the Baroque era to contemporary music, combining classical masterpieces with modern compositions and lesser-known works beyond the standard concert canon.

The DKO collaborates with renowned conductors and soloists, with Markus Poschner serving as Principal Guest Conductor. Numerous CD recordings document the ensemble’s artistic achievements. Supporting emerging artists is a key part of the orchestra’s mission, as is music education, including a close partnership with a Berlin school that provides young people with direct access to classical music and the work of a professional orchestra.

Photo credit: Constanze Vielgosz