Pierre Fontenelle

“An artist of profound originality, (…) a voice both powerful and gentle.” — La Libre

Belgian-American cellist Pierre Fontenelle pursues an international career as a soloist and chamber musician. A top prizewinner in several international competitions (Breughel, Buchet, Baert), he served as cello-soloist of the Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège from 2019 to 2022 before focusing on an independent career.

He has since performed as a soloist in prestigious venues including Flagey, the Luxembourg Philharmonic, La Seine Musicale, the Taipei National Concert Hall, and the Shanghai Oriental Art Center, and has appeared with ensembles such as the Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège, Brussels Philharmonic, Musiques Nouvelles, and Casco Phil.

An active chamber musician, he has collaborated with artists including Ian Bostridge, Jean-Guihen Queyras, Jean-Claude Vanden Eynden, Gwendoline Blondeel, and Gaëlle Solal, and works regularly with the ensemble Oxalys, with whom he recorded works by John Adams and Aaron Copland in 2024 and pianists Cansu Sanlidag and Ninon Hannecart-Ségal.

His adventurous repertoire extends well beyond the traditional concertos (Haydn, Schumann, Dvořák, Elgar) to include works off the beaten path by composers such as Friedrich Gulda, Sofia Gubaidulina, Pēteris Vasks, and Apolline Jesupret. He also explores baroque music and more popular formats with Duo Kiasma, alongside accordionist Frin Wolter (First Prize, Accordé’Opale Competition).

His artistic approach comes into full focus in his debut album, ROOTS (Cypres, 2025), devoted to contemporary American music for solo cello, featuring works by Reena Esmail, Andrea Casarrubios, and Caroline Shaw.

Originally self-taught in his childhood in Seattle, he later trained at the conservatories of Luxembourg, Namur (IMEP), Mons, and Paris under the guidance of Éric Chardon, Han Bin Yoon, and Anne Gastinel. Now a professor at IMEP, he performs on an 1860 Nicolas-François Vuillaume cello, made available by the King Baudouin Foundation through the generosity of the Léon Courtin–Marcel Bouché Fund and the Strings For Talent Foundation, as well as a 1690 Ruggieri cello.

Named Namurois of the Year in 2020, Pierre places musical practice firmly within the life of his city. He regularly leads charity concerts in Namur and collaborates with the Festivals de Wallonie to bring music into retirement homes, hospitals, and prisons. In 2021, he founded the Concerts des Dames at the Abbaye Notre-Dame du Vivier in 2021 to support emerging young Belgian chamber musicians. In 2024, he received the FUGA Trophy from the Belgian Composers Union in recognition of his commitment to Belgian music. Beyond performance, he actively promotes youth entrepreneurship, giving talks for the non-profit 100,000 Entrepreneurs.