Stijn Kuppens is a cellist, composer, and improviser who explores the cello as a limitless instrument of expression. His music grows from a deep connection with the instrument, combining original compositions, improvisation, and collaborations with artists from different musical worlds. Through his work, the cello becomes a voice: intimate, expressive, and constantly evolving.

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At the heart of Stijn’s artistic journey are his own compositions and solo projects. With two solo albums released — Inner Cello (2019) and Cello Souls (2022) — and a third solo album ready for release, he continues to develop a personal musical universe in which composed structures and spontaneous creation meet. In 2026, he presented his first sheet music book of original solo cello compositions, containing seven pieces, at the New Directions Cello Festival.

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A central part of Stijn’s work is his close collaboration with composer and master guitarist Myrddin De Cauter. Together, they have developed a unique musical dialogue and an extensive repertoire, mainly built around Myrddin’s compositions alongside several works by Stijn. Their duo performances bring together two distinct voices, rooted in tradition while constantly searching for new possibilities. They are currently preparing an album featuring music composed by Stijn, to be released in the coming year.

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Stijn is also a member of Myrddin’s ensemble Sonetos del Amor Oscuro, together with vocalist Helena Casella and flutist Stefan Bracaval. Built around Myrddin’s compositions and his expressive guitar work, the ensemble creates a poetic dialogue between cello, voice, flute, and guitar, inspired by the poetry of Federico García Lorca. They released Vol. 1: El Sueño Se Deshizo Para Siempre in 2025 and Vol. 2: Secretos de Melancolía in 2026.

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Another important artistic collaboration is the long-term dialogue with painter Nele Boudry. Their shared project Inspired by BOU.TS brings together visual art and music in an exploration inspired by the world of Dieric Bouts. The project resulted in the release of four EPs and a multidisciplinary exhibition with live music. The collaboration continues to evolve, with new projects envisioned for the future.

 

In addition, Stijn founded The Intergalactic Cello Quartet together with Jeremy Harman (USA), Dave Haughey (USA), and Gunther Tiedemann (Germany). This international ensemble brings together four creative cello voices in a shared exploration of composition, improvisation, and sound. Their first EP, Leap One (2025), has been released, and a second EP is currently in preparation.

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Stijn is also part of the Guttman Tango Ensemble, whose album From Another World (2026) will be released in August 2026, followed by concerts in Italy, Switzerland, and Spain.

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Beyond his own performances and recordings, Stijn is deeply committed to supporting and promoting the creative possibilities of the cello. Since several years, he has been part of the Board of Directors of the New Directions Cello Festival, contributing to an international community that encourages cellists to explore new artistic paths and expand the expressive potential of the instrument. Stijn has given several workshops around his creative explorations during several editions of this festival.​ His music has taken him to audiences around the world, including the United States, Japan, and Brazil.

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Throughout his career, Stijn has continuously searched for new forms of expression through collaborations and recordings. His album Dialogues (2023) brings together musical encounters with Joris Van den Hauwe (oboe), Hugh Desmond (violin), Kim Van den Brempt (piano), and Stefan Bracaval (flute). On Dialogues for Cello & Drums (2024), created with drummer Gert-Jan Dreessen, cello and jazz drums enter into a powerful rhythmic and sonic dialogue.

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With Layers (2025), Stijn created an ambitious project inspired by the fifteenth-century Leuven Chansonnier and the paintings of Dieric Bouts, bringing together cello, ancient and contemporary instruments, and voice with Myrddin (guitar), Helena Casella (voice), Tom Beets (recorders), Didier François (nyckelharpa), and Sofie Vanden Eynde (lute & theorbo).

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Earlier projects explore the cello in unexpected contexts. Seven Miracles (2022), an ode to his hometown Leuven, brought together Anu Junnonen (voice), Roel Van Camp (accordion), Benjamin Van Esser (live electronics), Myrddin (guitar), Stefan Bracaval (flute), and Gert-Jan Dreessen (drums). In Desolate Drones (2022), Stijn entered a world of immersive soundscapes together with Benjamin Van Esser (live electronics), while First Meetings (2022), created with pianist and composer Johan Hoogewijs, explores the spontaneous dialogue of pure improvisation.

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Whether performing solo, in dialogue with other musicians, or within larger ensembles, Stijn Kuppens continues to search for new forms of musical expression — where composition and improvisation meet, where traditions connect, and where the cello reveals ever new voices.