Johann Sebastian Paetsch

Johann Sebastian Paetsch was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States, on April 11, 1964. He is an American cellist and musician.

Early Musical Education:

Paetsch began studying the cello at age five under the tutelage of his father, Günther Paetsch, who was also a cellist. He gave his first recital at age six. His childhood involved extensive participation in chamber music performances with his large family, composed of nine children. His three sisters, Phebe, Michaela, and Brigitte, along with his three brothers, Christian, Engelbert, and Siegmund, all learned string instruments. The family ensemble, known as the Paetsch Chamber Music Ensemble, performed numerous concerts across the United States, performing a wide repertoire for string chamber music.

Formal Musical Education:

Paetsch attended Butler University, where he studied with Arkady Orlovsky, principal cellist of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. He graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree, earning Latin honors (Cum Laude). He continued his studies at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, with renowned cellist and teacher Aldo Parisot, receiving a Certificate of Music Degree and later a Master's Degree in Music. Subsequently, he studied in Germany at the Musikhochschule Lübeck under David Geringas, where he earned the Konzertexamen. Paetsch also participated in masterclasses led by notable cellists including Yo-Yo Ma, Mstislav Rostropovich, János Starker, Bernard Greenhouse, and Mischa Maisky. As part of the Yale Cellists, he contributed to recordings of two well-known CDs.

Awards and Recognition:

Paetsch has received multiple awards. He was a prize winner in the Emmanuel Feuermann Competition and secured first place in the Young Musicians Foundation Competition in Los Angeles, California. He also participated successfully in major competitions such as the ARD International Music Competition in Munich, the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, and the Rostropovich Competition in Paris.

Professional Career:

Paetsch has performed broadly as a soloist in venues across Japan, Europe, and the Americas. His concert repertoire includes works by composers such as Haydn, Dvořák, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Schumann, and Tchaikovsky. His collaborations include performances and recordings of Brahms' Double Concerto with his sister, violinist Michaela Paetsch, in North America and Europe. He has also been featured as a soloist with the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana in performances of compositions by Boccherini, Saint-Saëns, Kabalevsky, and the two Haydn Cello Concertos, as well as Strauss's Don Quixote under conductor Alain Lombard.

Personal Life:

During his studies at Yale University, Paetsch met violinist Yoko Miyagawa, whom he married in 1994 in Lugano, Switzerland. Miyagawa is the daughter of Tadatoshi Miyagawa and a distant relative of Emperor Akihito of Japan. Their first daughter, Raphaela, born in Lugano in 1996, is a cellist. Their other children, Valentina (born 1998), a violinist, and Dominic, a cellist, have performed together with their parents in string quintets.

Professional Engagements:

Since 1992, Paetsch has held the position of First Solo Cellist with the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano, Switzerland. He founded the Trio Ceresio, a piano trio that has performed in Europe, Japan, and Brazil.

Critical Reception:

Reviews from critics worldwide have recognized Paetsch’s performances. The Lübecker Nachrichten described his playing as a "brilliant virtuoso piece" that delighted audiences, while The Strad magazine highlighted his "extraordinary flair," describing his playing as stylish and communicative, with virtuosic skill. A critic from The New Haven Register praised his depth of understanding and technical proficiency, noting the lyrical beauty and precision in his performance of complex works.

Compositions and Transcriptions:

In addition to performance, Paetsch is known for transcribing works for solo cello. Notably, in 2013 he transcribed Franz Liszt's Piano Sonata in B minor, S.178, for solo cello. In 2015, he transcribed three pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach—Toccata and Fugue BWV 565, Chromatic Fantasia BWV 903, and Chaconne from Partita No. 2 BWV 1004—for solo cello.

Ancestry:

Paetsch's family on his maternal side traces back to the Mayflower, with ancestors including Governor William Bradford, John Howland, and Elizabeth Tilley, who arrived in 1620. He is a direct descendant of Mayflower passenger Governor William Bradford, being his ninth great-grandson. His family has had longstanding roots in North America, particularly in Colorado Springs, with five generations associated with the region.

References:

[Not included in the original data]

External Links:

- Biography maintained by the Internet Cello Society

- Additional biography