Jesper Ulfenstedt

Jesper Ulfenstedt was born in Eskilstuna (Sweden) and received his first contrabass lessons at the age of nine. After four years at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm he was accepted into the class of Duncan McTier at the Royal Academy of Music in London. As a multiple laureate of the Academy, he received his diploma after two years and was the second bassist in the Academy’s history to receive the institutional prize DipRAM.

Numerous engagements in various orchestras followed, including the London Symphony Orchestra, the English National Opera, and the Royal Danish Opera. In 2000, Jesper Ulfenstedt became assistant principal contrabassist in the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.

After changing from the French to the German bow technique, he completed his studies at the Hanover University of Music with Prof. Peter Pühn. In 2003, he joined the contrabass section of the Munich Philharmonic via a position in the Berlin Symphony Orchestra. Seven years of collaboration with conductors such as Levine, Mehta, Maazel, and Thielemann have shaped Ulfenstedt’s style.

In 2010 Jesper Ulfenstedt moved back to the capital, where he found a new challenge as assistant principal contrabassist in the orchestra of Komische Oper Berlin.