Jakob Stepp (*1991 in Stuttgart) is considered one of the outstanding cellists of his generation. As a chamber musician, soloist, orchestral musician, and educator, he is internationally established.

Jakob Stepp is the recipient of numerous awards, including the German Music Competition (Deutscher Musikwettbewerb) in the category of Cello Solo, the Czech Radio Competition (Concertino Praga), the WDR 3 Classical Music Prize (WDR 3 Klassikpreis) or the International Dotzauer Competition. He has also been awarded the Opus Klassik. Jakob Stepp has been a scholarship holder of the Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben, the Jürgen Ponto Foundation, the Hans and Eugenia Jütting Foundation, and the Zeit Foundation Ebelin and Gerd Bucerius.

At the age of ten, Jakob Stepp began his studies as a young student under Prof. Martin Ostertag and later under Prof. Peter Bruns. His studies then led him to Prof. Heinrich Schiff in Vienna, whose artistic influences had a lasting impact on him. He continued his studies with Prof. Julian Steckel and further enriched his experience as a scholarship holder of the Karajan Academy of the Berlin Philharmonic under Ludwig Quandt. Today, he regularly performs as principal cellist with major orchestras, including the Beethoven Orchestra Bonn, the Munich Chamber Orchestra, and the Residentie Orkest.

As a chamber musician, he performs with renowned artists such as Tobias Feldmann, Noa Wildschut, Boris Kusnezow, Emmanuel Tjeknavorian, and Veriko Tchumburidze. He is also a regular guest at major festivals, including the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival, the Yeosu International Music Festival, and the Rheingau Music Festival. Jakob Stepp has performed as a soloist under conductors such as Ton Koopman, Christian Zacharias, Rasmus Baumann, and Elizabeth Wallfisch.

In addition to his concert career, he is the artistic director of the Montecastelli Chamber Music Festival in Italy, which he co-founded in 2015 with Heinrich Schiff. Since 2022, he has also taken on the artistic coordination of the Euroclassic Festival Orchestra in Pirmasens.

Furthermore, Jakob Stepp is committed to the education of young musicians. He teaches solo cello and orchestral studies at the University of Music, Drama, and Media Hannover. He also regularly gives masterclasses and is involved as a lecturer in musical projects, such as being a tutor for the cello section of the European Union Youth Orchestra (EUYO).