Three years ago, the German magazine Rondo called you “arguably the most successful German cellist of our time”. Looking back over the past 10 years,
did you expect this, and how did you get to this point?
I never set myself any specific goals in that sense. I was never someone who entered a lot of competitions or pushed to reach the top. So, 10 years ago, I would have never expected to sign an exclusive contract with Sony Classical, perform
as a soloist with renowned conductors and orchestras, or record Dvořák’s Cello Concerto. My greatest motivation has always been simply to play concerts, and to play them well—collaborating with great artists and discovering exceptional music. Many opportunities ultimately came through my collaboration with my duo partner and husband, Julian Riem. We have made many recordings together; he wrote many exciting arrangements, and we’ve always been eager to perform new repertoire.
So, I would say it was curiosity that drove me, and it was musical fulfilment that I sought. I never really expected that I would reach where I am today.
So, would you say that competitions were less important to you as an artist?
I know many artists gain huge exposure by winning competitions, but I’ve only taken part in one major competition: the Deutsche Musikwettbewerb, which is primarily a national competition. This led to my contract with Sony Classical, and ultimately, every project with them—every idea, every CD—gained more attention both in Germany and internationally. Eventually, promoters from Asia began showing interest too.
But I think my real breakthrough was my album Femmes, which features music by 23 female composers, from Hildegard von Bingen to Billie Eilish. This project is really dear to me, and it seems to have resonated with audiences far more than I ever would have anticipated.
What was the idea behind Femmes?
We wanted to give a voice to the brilliant female composers who had been overlooked for centuries. During the Covid lockdown, I had a lot of time to research their work. I think Europe lags behind when it comes to recognising female composers, and it was astonishing to discover these incredible works by women that I hadn’t even known existed! I soon realised that I needed to record some of this music. The project seems to have struck a chord with the times; now, there are numerous books, lecture series and initiatives like the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin (DSO) programme, which includes one female composer in each subscription series.
The Femmes album topped the German charts for weeks and stayed there for six months. I believe it sold more than 10,000 hard copies, and the streaming figures are in the millions—Hildegard von Bingen’s O virtus sapientiae has over two million YouTube views. Not bad for a female medieval composer!
I’m also writing a book on female composers and women in music, with one chapter focusing on virtuoso players and travelling artists. In the 19th century, the idea of a woman playing the cello was considered scandalous. Women on
stage were viewed through an extremely sexist lens—it was completely unacceptable for them to hold a cello between their legs—so performances often caused a scandal, overshadowing their musical talent or artistry. Yet plenty of reviews and programmes from that era remain, and they’re fascinating. Comparing concert traditions of the 19th century with today’s practices is eye-opening. For instance, there was much more interaction between artists and audiences back then; people expressed what they liked and disliked and even clapped between movements!
Recording companies can be quite challenging
for young artists. What was your experience with Sony Classical?
Sony Classical was enthusiastic about my projects from the start. You often hear that labels dictate programming and restrict artistic freedom, but that wasn’t my experience. My first album, Serenata Italiana, included some hair-raisingly unknown and serious pieces that were arguably unsuitable for streaming. But Sony liked the concept, and we moved forward with the project. It was a success, and after that, they trusted me to make creative choices. They even requested a bonus track or a few extra shorter pieces that could be used for streaming.
Today, being an artist means that you have to juggle a number of things, including social media. Have you always had a presence online?
No, not initially. In fact, Sony made it a condition from the outset, telling me they would only sign me if I started using social media. Other artists already had thriving accounts, but I didn’t even have Twitter, Instagram or Facebook at the time. Nowadays, some organisers invite artists based on follower counts, expecting this to translate to ticket sales and a packed concert hall. Personally, I’m not really a fan
of social media; I prefer to connect with my audience through my music rather than through emotional messages or funny pictures.
Still, you are quite active on social media now and have a considerable following.
Some artists, like Igor Levit and Anastasia Kobekina, love interacting with their fans—they post regularly, whether at dinner, while travelling, or even during more challenging moments. I can’t dedicate that much time to social media; I think I’m naturally more reserved, and I prefer to share my inner world only with those closest to me.
Still, I’m very grateful for my wonderful fan base, who are incredibly supportive and interested. I enjoy sharing music videos and updates on my current programmes or the female composers I’m performing. I’m also an ambassador for several charities, including SOS Children’s Villages, the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Foundation, and Be an Angel Ukraine. Social media is an excellent platform for raising awareness about the impactful work of these foundations.
Looking back, how do you feel audiences have changed in the past 10 years? Do you see a general downward trend in classical music in Germany?
I think we are facing a crisis, but it’s less about classical music and more about the broader political and economic situation. Things have been difficult ever since Covid. The war in Ukraine has had a significant impact as well, with sanctions, inflation, rising energy costs and the increased cost of living straining everyone’s resources. This is felt more acutely in smaller cities, where some older people aren’t renewing their subscriptions. But I don’t believe there’s less interest. Recently I’ve seen many full concert halls, with lots of younger people in the audience.
Do you think today’s audiences have a shorter attention span? Have TikTok and Instagram changed people’s listening habits, and how do they influence classical music audiences
I don’t think regular TikTok users attend many classical concerts. Some organisers hire artists solely based on their massive TikTok followers, but I don’t think that kind of strategy will work out. Among those who scroll through videos for hours each day, very few will attend live concerts. That said, I’m aware of this issue, so I try to include not only long sonatas, but also shorter pieces with a greater variety of styles.
This approach isn’t new—during Clara Schumann´s time, it was common to perform short pieces from different genres. Or take Lise Cristiani (1827–53), a French cellist and the first female cellist to become famous. She would often perform arrangements of opera arias alongside salon pieces and virtuoso music within the same programme. It was a colourful mix that touched audiences then just as much as it does today.
You are currently on tour with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine; you performed with them in Kyiv, and you recorded the Dvořák Concerto together. Can you share your experience?
I have no personal Russian background, but I grew up with Tchaikovsky’s music and Dostoyevsky’s writings, so Russian culture has always been part of our European heritage. Putin’s invasion of Ukraine was a huge shock and that completely changed my perspective of the world. I attended demonstrations, made peace doves in Ukrainian colours, and struggled to comprehend how quickly the war escalated. However, as a musician, my place is in music.
When the Ukrainian National Symphony performed in Germany, I attended their concerts and spoke with the musicians. Their Chief Conductor, Volodymyr Sirenko, invited me to play with them in Kyiv. Initially, travelling to Ukraine seemed unthinkable because I assumed Kyiv was an active war zone where concerts couldn’t possibly take place. But Volodymyr explained that life in the capital was relatively normal (as normal as it gets when everyone knows someone fighting on the front lines), aside from occasional rocket alarms.
So, last December I went there and performed with them—it was absolutely incredible. I had never realised how powerful music could be until then! Julian Rachlin—the violinist who played during the war in Kosovo and now frequently conducts in Israel— told me: “Go there—you won’t regret it. Concerts there have unbelievable energy! People are incredibly grateful for what you do—you can really make a difference in their lives.” And he was right. Music isn’t just entertainment there—it’s a basic necessity like food. Our bodies need nourishment, but so do our souls. After the concert, a soldier came up to me—he had just returned from the frontline for one day—and he told me that surrounding himself with art (whether at a museum or concert) was essential because art was the only thing that made him feel human again.
Florian Riem was in conversation with German cellist Raphaela Gromes, an exclusive artist with Sony Classical. To discover more about her upcoming engagements, visit raphaelagromes.de/en
