Up-and-coming 22-year-old Danish-American cellist Jonathan Swensen fell in love with the cello at 6 after hearing the Elgar concerto with his father, Joseph Swensen conducting. In 2018, he won First Prize in both the YCA International Auditions and the Khachaturian Cello Competition, which brought him a concerto appearance with the Yerevan Symphony Orchestra. His numerous YCA winnings include the prestigious Alexander Kasza-Kasser Prize, sponsoring his Kennedy Center debut, and performances at Germany’s Usedom Music Festival.