Jussi Makkonen, Cello & Nazig Azezian, Piano

Cellist Jussi Makkonen and pianist Nazig Azezian have performed together as a chamber duo since 2013. Their programme is devoted entirely to Finnish music, with Jean Sibelius at its centre.

Makkonen (born 1979 in Lieksa) studied at the Sibelius Academy (SIBA) in Helsinki, completing his master's degree in 2005. He subsequently performed with the Gustav Mahler Orchestra, among others. Since releasing his first album on the Naxos label in 2008, he has focused on the music of Finnish composers, particularly Sibelius. His concert tours have taken him to the USA, Germany, Vietnam and the Philippines, where he has performed with artists including Terhi Dostal and Rait Karm. Pianist Nazig Azezian, of Armenian descent, also studied at SIBA.

In 2019, both received the Finlandia Foundation National Award of Excellence in the USA, notably for their interpretations of Sibelius's works.