Edward Luengo

"A strong and endearing performer, already a partner of the greatest (…); explosive temperament, intoxicating sound, exacerbated contrasts, almost furious phrasing - he bursts the stage!” - Diapason Magazine

Born in 1995 in Miami to parents both originally from Venezuela, Edward received his first cello lessons at the age of six. His principal teachers include Maria Antonieta Salas, Aaron Merritt, Jean-Michel Fonteneau, and was also mentored having worked extensively with Heasook Rhee and Sylvia Rosenberg. Edward graduated from the Manhattan School of Music where he studied with Philippe Muller.

The first musician from a family of pilots, Venezuelan-American cellist Edward Luengo is a devoted interpreter of the classical masterworks lauded for his performances full of musical fantasy. His artistry has led him to receive various awards including the First Prize of the Concurso Jóvenes Intérpretes supported by the Fundación María Paula Alonso, the Third Prize of the IX Carlos Prieto International Cello Competition, the Festival Ravel Chamber Music Prize, and the 1st Prize of the Buchet International Cello Competition held by the Belgium Cello Society. His most recent appearances have included the Rheingau Musik Festival and the Kronberg Festival with opening of the Casals Forum. In the 2023/2024 Season, he appeared in the Next Generation Artists Series at the BOZAR Centre for the Arts (Brussels) and in the 23rd edition of Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad. 

As a soloist, Edward made his solo debut with the Master Sinfonia Chamber Orchestra conducted by David Ramadanoff performing William Walton's Cello Concerto and maintains essentially every major work of the cello repertoire. He continues to expand the range of the instrument by committing to the works of today’s composers such as Andrea Casarrubios, Guillaume Connesson, Jérôme Ducros and Olli Mustonen. Passionate about chamber music, he has performed at the Rheingau Musik Festival, Kronberg Academy Festival, Music from Salem, and the Brussels Cello Festival. He has spent summers at the Orford Academy, National Arts Centre Young Artists Program (2017), Domaine Forget, Festival Ravel and Festival MusicalAlp.

Impacted by everyone he has worked with, Edward has had opportunities to perform for and collaborate with many artists including Kolja Blacher, Walter Delahunt, Christoph Eschenbach, Anne Gastinel, Kirill Gerstein, Gary Hoffman, Gidon Kremer, Laurence Lesser, Jérôme Pernoo, Miguel Da Silva, Antoine Tamestit, Dénes Várjon, and the Borromeo, Danish, New Orford, and Takács String Quartets. He takes deep inspiration from frequent classes with Steven Isserlis.

From 2021 to 2024 he studied at Kronberg Academy with Frans Helmerson. His studies were generously funded by the Annika and Wolfgang Fink patronage. He was also supported by Jan Kleinewefers.