Biography

Though he gained worldwide notice at age 15 when he captured first prize at the 1992 Tchaikovsky International Competition for Young Musicians, Daniel Müller-Schott began to emerge as one of his generation's leading cellists from about 2000, the year his first recording was issued. He possesses a big technique and a mature interpretive sense, qualities that allow him to play virtually anything he chooses, from the subtle challenges offered by Bach, Haydn, and Mozart to the more physically demanding repertory of Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Shostakovich, and Ligeti. Müller-Schott performs with the world's leading orchestras and conductors, as well as performing chamber music, making frequent appearances with world-class artists. Müller-Schott was born in Munich, Germany, on November 2, 1976. A child prodigy, he advanced quickly, and following his 1992 Tchaikovsky Competition victory in Moscow, he began concertizing regularly across the globe and eventually appeared with the major orchestras in the U.S., Europe, Australia, and parts of Asia. A student of Heinrich Schiff and Steven Isserlis, Müller-Schott held a scholarship from the Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation, from 1997-2001. He considers Anne-Sophie Mutter to be among the strong influences in his career. Müller-Schott's first album was issued in 2000, a recording of Bach's Six Cello Suites, something quite special for the young performer because the works were favorites of his since he was six years old. He has been the dedicatee of several compositions, including cello concertos by André Previn and Peter Ruzicka. In 2007, Müller-Schott gave an acclaimed performance of the challenging Ligeti Cello Concerto at the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival with the NDR Symphony Orchestra under Peter Ruzicka. Müller-Schott has also appeared at other music festivals over the years, including Tanglewood, Salzburg, Lucerne, Roskilde, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and many more. His regular-season concert activity is considerable, as well: the 2009-2010 concert season featured a tour with Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields in Austria, Germany, and Turkey, chamber music performances in Germany and Belgium, and solo performances with orchestras in Czechoslovakia, Spain, and the U.S. His chamber music partners include pianists Angela Hewitt and Jonathan Gilad, violinist Julia Fischer, and the Vogler String Quartet. Müller-Schott made a series of four recordings on Deutsche Grammophon with Mutter and Previn that included the Mozart trios and other works, issued in 2006 and 2007. He has also recorded for EMI, Hyperion, Orfeo, Glissando, PentaTone, Profil, and Tudor. In 2020, he issued an Orfeo recording of Brahms' cello sonatas with Francesco Piemontesi. Müller-Schott works with the "Rhapsody in School" educational program and gives master classes when on tour.