Askar Ishangaliyev
French-Kazakh cellist Askar Ishangaliyev has won first prizes in the Flame and Vatelot-Rampal competitions, as well as the Prix du Musée Bonnat, and has performed extensively throughout Europe, the United States, and Kazakhstan. He has performed in sonatas with Françoise Buffet Arsenijevic, Michaël Lévinas, Jean Angliviel, and Anna Kavalerova, in trios with Jean-Noël Molard and Jean Angliviel, and as a soloist with the Toulouse Chamber Orchestra (conducted by Gilles Colliard), the Tours Orchestra, Halle Staatskappele, and the Lille National Orchestra (premiere of Pedro Garcia Velasques' cello concerto conducted by Maxime Pascal). He also performs regularly with the National Orchestra of Kazakhstan. Askar is supported by the Meyer Foundation and ADAMI. Committed to championing contemporary repertoire, Askar Ishangaliyev has worked with musicians such as Pierre Boulez, Mauricio Kagel, Peter Eötvös, Michaël Lévinas, Bruno Mantovani, Martin Matalon, and Heinz Holliger, and has been the principal cellist of the Le Balcon ensemble since 2008. Askar Ishangaliyev was born in 1985 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, where he began studying the cello at the age of 7. Noted for his musical abilities, he decided to continue his studies in France. He studied under Jean-Marie Gamard at the Conservatoire National Supérieure de Musique et de Danse de Paris, where he earned his Higher Education Diploma with honors.
In 2013, Askar received a Diploma of Performing Artist in Contemporary Repertoire and Creation. He attended numerous Master Classes with Richard Aaron, Stefan Popov, Ivan Monighetti and Gary Hoffman.