Dietmar Schwalke

At the age of twelve Dietmar Schwalke so admired a cello-playing friend that he did everything he could to get his father’s permission to have cello lessons himself. In only four months his technique had surpassed his friend’s. Later he studied with Arthur Troester, Wolfgang Boettcher and Pierre Fournier. After receiving several prizes and distinctions, he made his solo debut with the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra (now Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester) playing Schumann’s Cello Concerto in the Berlin Philharmonie.