Eldar Sapaar (Saparayev) is a Kazakh-German cellist, conductor, and Thomastik-Infeld artist, and Professor at the Academy of Music, University of Ljubljana. Born in Kazakhstan, he is widely recognized as one of the leading cellists of Central Asia and is a laureate of numerous international competitions, including the prestigious Antonio Janigro International Cello Competition. His artistry has been praised by the legendary manager Jacques Leiser, who described him as a true musician and poet performing with passion and individuality.

As a soloist, Sapaar has appeared with major orchestras around the world under the direction of renowned conductors such as Peter Eötvös, Sir Roger Norrington, Krzysztof Penderecki, and Bernard Haitink. His collaborations include performances with the Bavarian State Opera, Zurich Chamber Orchestra, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Southwest German Philharmonic Orchestra, and Lucerne Festival Strings. He has performed in some of the world’s most celebrated concert halls, including Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, Carnegie Hall in New York, the Musikverein in Vienna, Smetana Hall in Prague, and the Tonhalle Zürich.

A dedicated chamber musician, Sapaar has performed with distinguished artists including Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Radu Lupu, Alena Baeva, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Bobby McFerrin, and Gerhard Schulz. He performs on a rare 1679 Nicolo Amati cello, admired for its depth, warmth, and expressive richness. Deeply committed to pedagogy, he strives to pass on the traditions of the great performing schools and the artistic spirit of legendary musicians with whom he has collaborated, such as Mstislav Rostropovich, Bernard Greenhouse, and Mariss Jansons. His teaching is grounded in the belief that the essence of music lies in creating character and conveying emotional truth.