Artist in residence at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel under the tutelage of Gary Hoffman, Léo Ispir embodies the new generation of French cellists.

Born in 2002, Léo Ispir began playing the cello at the age of 7 with Isabelle Loubaresse at the CRR in Rouen.

At the age of 14 he joined Hélène Dautry's class at the Paris CRR.

From 2020 to 2023, Léo studied with Jérôme Pernoo at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris. At the same time, he benefited from the guidance of Anne Gastinel at the Jaroussky Academy, where he was a laureate of the ‘Debussy Promotion’.

He has also worked with great teachers such as Frans Helmerson, Julian Steckel, François Salque, Pierre Fouchenneret, Stephan Forck and the Quatuor Ébène at various academies and masterclasses in Europe.

He takes part in the ‘Cello Masterclass’ at the Kronberg Academy.

Léo Ispir has shared the stage in France, Turkey, the USA, Ukraine and Georgia, performing chamber music with artists such as the Quatuor Modigliani, Jean François Heisser, François Salque, Svetlin Roussev and Raphaël Pidoux, and as a soloist under the baton of Pierre Bleuse and Julien Guénebaut.

He is lucky enough to play in such renowned concert halls as the Kiev Philharmonic, Salle Gaveau, the Paris Philharmonic and the Théâtre des Champs Élysées.

He has also performed at festivals such as: Les folle journées de Nantes, Les flâneries musicales de Reims, Festival 1001 notes, les musicales de Blanchardeau etc...

He is a member of the Cello8 octet, with whom he recorded an album entitled ‘ode à la nuit’ on the Mirare label.

He has performed under the baton of Lahav Shani, Gianandrea Noseda and Jukka Pekka Saraste at the Tsinandali Festival in Georgia.

He has also won several prizes in various competitions, including 1st prize at the Tremplin International Cello Competition, 1st prize and the Grand Prize at the Gustav Mahler International Cello Competition, and 1st prize at the Concours International des Jeunes Talents en Normandie in chamber music.

In February 2023 he was admitted to the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Gary Hoffman's class.

Léo Ispir currently plays a Francis Kuttner cello on loan from Mrs Karapetyan with the invaluable help of the ‘Talents et Violon’ association.