Eckart Runge violoncello
Jacques Ammon piano

Three decades Eckart Runge marked the characteristic profile of the Artemis Quartet, with which he performed in major concert series and festivals worldwide. Albums, since 2005 exclusively for Warner/Erato have been granted numerous awards such as the Grammophone Award, the ECHO-Klassik and the Diapason d’Or.

As of 2019 Eckart Runge decided to leave the quartet and endeavour for new artistic challenges, persuing his solo-projects and above all, his passion of presenting programs that converge varied musical genres and art forms, such as classical, jazz, rock-pop and film music, also to reach out to younger and wider audiences, for chamber music presented in a new contemporary way.

Eckart’s first solo album with the radio orchestra Berlin (RSB) will be released in 2020, featuring the world premiere recording of Nikolai Kapustin’s jazzy cello concerto op. 85 as well as the passionate 1stconcerto by Alfred Schnittke. He will also present the first European performance of John Williams cello concerto in Munich.

As a professor at the University of Fine Arts Berlin (UdK), the Chapelle de la Reine Elisabeth in Brussels as well as on international master classes, he passes on his experience to students from across the world.

Eckart Runge plays a beautiful cello made by the brothers Hieronymus and Antonio Amati in Cremona in 1595, a generous loan of Merito String Instrument Trust Vienna.

Born in Santiago de Chile to German-Chilean parents, Jacques Ammon first attracted attention as early as 1989 as 1st prize winner of the Claudio Arrau International Piano Competition.

A shared passion for various musical genres initiated the founding of the Runge and Ammon Duo 25 years ago. The two have elated international audiences with a high level of creativity that exhibits itself in original arrangements and a vast repertoire that incorporates classical, tango, jazz, Latin, film, pop and rock music.

The duo is known for its original programs, which are presented and moderated in an entertaining yet informative style. This distinct and elegant delivery addresses both classical connoisseurs and curious newcomers to the world of music.

In addition to the duo with Eckart Runge, he regularly plays with violinist Daniel Hope. This collaboration has resulted in several albums on the Deutsche Grammophon label.

Since 2015 Jacques Ammon is professor for piano at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy” in Leipzig.