Ole-Eirik Ree is a renowned classical music artist who has made a significant contribution to the world of music. He was born on 22nd June 1961 in Oslo, Norway. Ree grew up in a family of musicians, and his parents were both professional musicians. His father was a cellist, and his mother was a pianist. Ree's parents recognized his musical talent at an early age and encouraged him to pursue a career in music. Ree began his musical training at the age of six, and he started playing the cello when he was eight years old. He studied at the Barratt Due Institute of Music in Oslo, where he received his early musical education. Ree continued his studies at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland, where he studied under the tutelage of Arto Noras. He also studied with William Pleeth in London and Frans Helmerson in Cologne. Ree's talent as a cellist was evident from an early age, and he quickly gained recognition as a rising star in the world of classical music. He won several awards and competitions, including the Norwegian Soloist Competition in 1983 and the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1986. These awards helped to establish Ree as one of the most promising young cellists of his generation. Ree's career as a soloist began in the early 1980s, and he quickly gained a reputation as a virtuoso performer. He has performed with some of the world's leading orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic, and the New York Philharmonic. Ree has also collaborated with many of the world's leading conductors, including Sir Simon Rattle, Mariss Jansons, and Daniel Barenboim. One of the highlights of Ree's career was his performance of Shostakovich's Cello Concerto No. 1 with the Berlin Philharmonic under the baton of Claudio Abbado in 1990. The performance was widely acclaimed, and it helped to establish Ree as one of the leading cellists of his generation. Ree has also performed at many of the world's leading music festivals, including the Salzburg Festival, the Edinburgh Festival, and the BBC Proms. In addition to his career as a soloist, Ree is also a dedicated chamber musician. He has performed with many of the world's leading chamber ensembles, including the Emerson String Quartet, the Guarneri Quartet, and the Tokyo String Quartet. Ree is also a founding member of the Vertavo String Quartet, which has gained international recognition for its innovative programming and virtuosic performances. Ree's discography is extensive, and he has recorded for many of the world's leading record labels, including Deutsche Grammophon, EMI, and Sony Classical. His recordings have received critical acclaim, and he has won several awards, including a Grammy Award for his recording of the Brahms Double Concerto with violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter. Ree is also a dedicated teacher, and he has taught at many of the world's leading music schools, including the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, the Royal Academy of Music in London, and the Juilliard School in New York. He is currently a professor of cello at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo. In recognition of his contributions to the world of music, Ree has received many awards and honors. He was awarded the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit in 2001, and he was made a Knight of the Order of St. Olav in 2009. Ree was also awarded the Sibelius Medal by the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki in 2011.

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