Anna Manthou

My name is Anna Manthou and I am currently pursuing my Master’s degree in Cello and Historical Performance at the Utrechts Conservatorium, where I study with Victor Garcia Garcia and Jeroen den Herder.

Thanks to the generous support of Het Muziekinstrumenten Fonds, I have the privilege of exploring two fascinating musical worlds: historical performance and contemporary cello playing. Being able to move between these different sound worlds, aesthetics, and traditions continuously shapes and deepens my artistic voice.

I have the honour of performing on a beautiful French cello by Fernand Jacquot, built in Nancy in 1914, together with a remarkable bow by François Nicolas Voirin. Its elegant and exceptionally light character allows for great flexibility, colour, and refinement in modern repertoire.

At the same time, I am deeply grateful to perform on the “Aafke de Jong cello,” an anonymous cello presumably built in Saxony/Bohemia in the early 19th century, recognised for its beautiful potential as a Baroque cello by violin maker Christian Jünemann. Alongside it, I play a Baroque cello bow built and stamped by Pieter Affourtit in Hoorn in 2010.

These instruments are much more than tools for performance; they are living voices with their own histories, personalities, and possibilities. Every day, they invite me to discover new colours, new forms of expression, and a deeper connection between past and present. I am profoundly thankful to Het Muziekinstrumenten Fonds for making this artistic journey possible.

📷 Photography by Jeroen Berends