At only 19 years old, French cellist Aurélien Pascal was awarded the Grand Prix, Audience Prize and Special Prize for the best performance of a concerto by Ernst Toch at the 2014 Emanuel Feuermann Competition under the patronage of Daniel Barenboim. Prior to that in 2013, he was 2nd Prize-winner at the International Paulo Cello Competition in Helsinki, the prestigious jury led by Arto Noras praised the emergence of a new French talent gifted with both rare power and superb elegance. These qualities were highlighted in his interpretation of Dutilleux «Tout un monde lointain» during the final performed with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by John Storgårds. Already, at the age of 11, Aurélien was named winner of the 1st Rostropovitch Junior Competition and in 2011 was awarded the Guy Bonnemain Prize for the best new talent at the International André Navarra Competition in Toulouse. Born into a family of musicians, Aurélien Pascal attended master classes given by the legendary János Starker in Paris, Basel and Bloomington, as well as studying with Frans Helmerson at the Prades Festival Academy and with Peter Wispelwey in Beauvais.