The Estonian cellist Marcel Johannes Kits is one of the most promising cellists of his generation, having won the 3rd prize at the Queen Elisabeth Cello Competition and the 1st prize at the George Enescu Competition in Romania.
His recent concert highlights include debut with Philharmonia Orchestra (E. Elgar Cello Concerto) under Santtu-Matias Rouvali, tours in Belgium with the Belgian National Symphony Orchestra under Eivind Aadland (R. Schumann Cello Concerto) and concerts in South Korea with the Estonian Festival Orchestra under Paavo Järvi (J. Brahms Double Concerto). He has also played E. Elgar Cello Concerto with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra under Antoni Wit, F. S. Haydn Cello Concerto in C with the Glasperlenspiel Sinfonietta under Neeme Järvi, and performed a recital in Carnegie Hall.
As a soloist he has also performed with such orchestras as the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, Kaunas Symphony Orchestra, St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Kymi Sinfonietta, Jyväskylä Sinfonia, Wallonie Royal Chamber Orhestra, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Munich Chamber Orchestra, George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra, Israel Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa, Vanemuine Symphony Orchestra, and worked with conductors, such as Stéphane Denève, Robertas Šervenikas, Kristiina Poska, Volodymyr Sirenko, Vahan Mardirossian, Oleg Caetani, Vassily Sinaisky, Olari Elts, Benjamin Haemhouts, Andres Mustonen, Risto Joost, Gintaras Rinkevičius, Tõnu Kaljuste, Arvo Volmer, and many others.
He has given recitals in China and Japan, and performed at venues such as Bozar, Flagey and Concertgebouw Brugge, Seoul Arts Center, Tongyeong Concert Hall and Gyeonggi Arts Center in South Korea, Konzerthaus Berlin, St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Moscow Conservatory, Berlin Philharmonic, Pierre Boulez Hall, Laeiszhalle and Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Romanian Athenaeum, Tel Aviv Opera House, Jerusalem Theatre, and many others. He has been invited to perform at festivals such as Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad, Klaipeda Cello Festival, Pärnu Music Festival, Festival Wallonie, Young Euro Classic, Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Musical Olympus Festival and MustonenFest Tel Aviv.
Being passionate about chamber music, he has played from the age of 9 in the piano trio with Robert Traksmann (violin) and Rasmus Andreas Raide (piano) under the name of Trio ‘95. Marcel showed great interest in the cello when he was just four years old, and had his first lessons at the age of five. He studied with Laine Leichter and Mart Laas at the Tallinn Music High School. From 2014, he studied with prof. Francis Gouton at the Trossingen University of Music, and, since 2018, he continues his studies at the Berlin University of the Arts with prof. Jens Peter Maintz. He has participated in masterclasses given by Steven Isserlis, prof. Ivan Monighetti, prof. David Geringas, prof. Frans Helmerson, prof. Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt and the other renowned musicians.
He currently receives a scholarship from the International Academy of Music in Liechtenstein, and has been regularly participating in the intensive music weeks and activities offered by the Academy. Marcel plays an Italian cello made by Francesco Ruggeri (Cremona, 1674), and a bow made by Victor Fetique, both kindly loaned to him by the German Foundation for Music Life (Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben).