Manuel Lipstein

The 23-year-old cellist and composer Manuel Lipstein performs at renowned venues such as the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, the Kölner Philharmonie, the Muziekgebouw Amsterdam, the Herkulessaal Munich and the Beijing Concert Hall. His concert tours have taken him not only across Europe, but also to countries such as Japan, China, Armenia and Malaysia. Manuel Lipstein has gained particular artistic experience as a soloist with orchestras such as the WDR Symphony Orchestra and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen. In July 2024, his debut CD “roots” was released by Oehms Classics (NAXOS), followed in 2025 by the CD “Pas de deux” together with violinist Linda Guo.

At the age of just ten, Manuel Lipstein became a junior student with Prof. Katharina Deserno at the Cologne University of Music in 2011, where he continued his junior studies with Prof. Maria Kliegel from 2015 to 2019. He then studied Bachelor's, Master's and Professional Studies at Kronberg Academy with Prof. Frans Helmerson until 2024, made possible by the Dr. Rainer and Christel Stoll Patronage.Additionally, he studied composition with Prof. Gerhard Müller-Hornbach and conducting with Prof. Vassilis Christopoulos.

He draws further inspiration from masterclasses with renowned musicians such as Martha Argerich, András Schiff, Kirill Gerstein, Steven Isserlis, Leonid Gorokhov, Wolfgang-Emanuel Schmidt, and Jens-Peter Maintz.

Manuel Lipstein impressed the international juries: he won the Premier Grand Prix at the “Concours Flame” in Paris, first prize and special prize at the “Concours de Violoncelle Prix Edmond Baert” in Brussels and - as the youngest participant ever - third prize at “TONALi” in Hamburg.

He is also an active chamber musician, performing not only with pianists such as his brother Rafael but also in a duo with violinist Linda Guo and with his quartet, Philimaro. He has been awarded the WDR 3 Classical Prize of the City of Münster and the Chamber Music Prize of the Polytechnische Gesellschaft. As the only musician ever, Manuel Lipstein has been twice named a “Best of NRW” awardee.

But interpreting existing repertoire is not enough for the 23-year-old artist: his compositions can be heard on the radio and at festivals worldwide, including AchtBrücken in Cologne, at BTHVN in Bonn, at Aurora in Sweden, at the Cello Biennale Amsterdam, at the Karl Thöne Festival in Kuala Lumpur and as compulsory pieces at the ERPS competition in Bolzano. 

He has received composition commissions from institutions such as the Neue Lausitzer Philharmonie, the Kronberg Academy, the NRW State Music Council, and the Cello Biënnale Amsterdam. Manuel Lipstein has won numerous national prizes at Jugend Komponiert. His works are published by Edition Walhall (Magdeburg) and Musica Ferrum (London). He is also a coach for chamber music (e.g. in Kronberg), gives master classes (e.g. in Kuala Lumpur) and leads improvisation workshops (e.g. in Görlitz).