Remi Kesteman, the portuguese and belgian cello player, started his studies in 1995 under the tutelage of Jaroslav Mikus, in Portugal. In 2012, after meeting the italian cellist Marco Ceccato, he started his early music studies at the “Escola Superior de Música e Artes do Espectáculo” (ESMAE) of Porto, where he obtained his licence in 2017. In the same year, he enrolled in the “Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles”, in the class of Hervé Douchy, concluding his master degree with a distinction in 2019.
During his studies and career, he followed the teachings of cello players such as Marie Hallynck, Paulo Gaio Lima, Rainer Zipperling and Stefano Veggetti. He also worked with many ensembles (Scherzi Musicali, Les Agrémens, Antwerp Baroque Orchestra and Concerto Ibérico, among others), under the direction of musicians such as Amandine Beyer, Ketil Haugsand, Guy van Waas, Nicolas Achten and João Paulo Janeiro.
He’s also a laureate of the 2019 Mathilde Horlait Dapsens chamber music contest.
Passionate about traditional european dances and music since 2006, he plays in trad and balfolk groups (Fahrenheit, Duo Zmôz, Girasol, Deu La Deu) and teaches the dances everywhere in Europe, from Portugal to Poland (Andanças, Gennetines, Cadansa, Boombal, Venezia Balla, Prague Balfolk Immersion, Lovembal, Balfolk.pl, among many others).