Jacques-Pierre Malan is an internationally acclaimed cellist, praised for his “vibrant musicality” and described as a “tour de force” (Beeld), who has performed extensively across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the United States. Malan serves as Cellist-in-Residence and Artistic Director of the historic Embassy Series in Washington, D.C., where he collaborates with embassies as a soloist, chamber musician, and producer, developing concert programs with humanitarian and diplomatic themes. He is also the founder of the Embassy String Quartet (embassystringquartet.com) and a core member of the Serafin Ensemble (serafinensemble.org), based in Wilmington, Delaware.
While chamber music is his primary focus, Malan has also appeared widely as a concerto soloist, performing with the Mid-Atlantic Symphony, KwaZulu Natal Philharmonic, Johannesburg Philharmonic, Cape Town Philharmonic, and the Peabody Symphony Orchestra, among others. His accolades include awards from the Yale Gordon Foundation (Baltimore), the South African Music Rights Organization (SAMRO), and the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival (SICMF). He was also featured in the acclaimed documentary Getting to Carnegie Hall.
Malan is currently on the roster of International Music Exchange Concerts, collaborating as both soloist and chamber musician at festivals and concert halls in Japan, Italy, Germany, South Africa, and the United States. He tours Japan annually, performing in over 20 cities at major venues such as Kyoto Concert Hall, Harmony Hall Fukui, and JMS Aster Plaza.
Malan’s latest project features performances of all 12 Caprices by Alfredo Piatti in various concert settings, coupled with talks on “overcoming personal obstacles through impossible projects.”
In addition to his concert career, Malan is passionate about education. He teaches at the Nelly Berman School of Music in Philadelphia, maintains a private studio in Baltimore, and regularly gives masterclasses and adjudicates competitions in both the U.S. and South Africa. His academic background includes a Master’s Degree and Graduate Performance Diploma from the Peabody Conservatory at Johns Hopkins University, where he studied under Amit Peled, and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Pretoria.
A dedicated advocate for cultural exchange, Malan continues to use his artistry to bridge communities and create meaningful connections through music.
For more, visit: embassyseries.org, creativecello.com.
