On her CDs published by KALEIDOS and WERGO, Katharina Deserno presents, among others, works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Sergej Rachmaninov, Alexander Grechaninov, Clara Schumann, Fanny Mendelssohn, Rebecca Clarke, Konrad Lang as well as chamber music by Barbara Heller. All the recordings were praised by the press. Critics speak of a “perfect game”, “technical perfection” and a “wonderful program” (Rondo magazine). More recently, Katharina Deserno recorded a CD with works for solo cello by Violeta Dinescu and Johann Sebastian Bach (“Suites & Roses”, KAL6344-2). Press reactions speak of an “impressive CD” (Badisches Tageblatt), an “exhilarating experience”, “an extraordinary and moving album” (Musenseiten) and a “captivating interpretation” (pizzicato), their interpretation of Bach’s suites is “masterful” (The Orchestra).
Katharina Deserno followed her artistic training in Frankfurt, Paris and Cologne with Maria Kliegel, Gerhard Mantel, Philipp Muller; She also drew inspiration and received artistic impulses from Janos Starker, Siegfried Palm, György Kurtag and others. She has received awards and scholarships, including funding from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now. She was Maria Kliegel’s assistant during her studies.
In 2008 she started teaching cello as one of the youngest teachers at the University of Music and Dance – HEM Cologne, and many of her students have now won prizes in international and national competitions. Katharina Deserno is regularly invited to give master classes to young cellists. Since 2016 she has been artistic director of Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now Frankfurt.
Katharina Deserno’s book on cellists and processes of change in instrumental art was published by Böhlau-Verlag in 2018. Katharina Deserno published a cello libretto with Schott-Verlag, which has long been one of the best -sheet music sellers; She has published numerous musical editions, including another cello libretto, which was recently translated into Chinese.
Katharina Deserno has been a professor at the University of Music and Performing Arts Frankfurt since 2015. In the summer semester 2022 she also taught at the University of Music Mainz; she previously worked for many years at the University of Music and Dance in Cologne. In 2023, she received a call to the University of Music in Würzburg.
She plays on an Italian cello by Carlo Antonio Testore from 1712, generously donated by a patron.
