Josephine Knight performs internationally as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, and guest principal cello with the world’s leading orchestras. Renowned for her technical mastery, lyricism, and compelling artistry, she holds the Alfredo Piatti Chair of Cello at the Royal Academy of Music, where she serves as Professor of Cello. She gives masterclasses worldwide and is frequently invited to serve on the juries of major international competitions.

Josphine made her BBC Proms concerto debut in 2005 and has since appeared as a soloist with leading orchestras, collaborating with distinguished conductors including Sir Colin Davis, Edward Gardner, Richard Hickox, Vasily Petrenko, Sir Simon Rattle, Sir Antonio Pappano, and Andris Nelsons.

Her recordings span EMI Classics, Deutsche Grammophon, Chandos, and Orchid Classics. Jo collaborated with Sir John Tavener who composed his Requiem for her, which was recorded by EMI. Her 2025 release Schubert Reimaginedreceived five stars from BBC Music Magazine, which praised that “throughout this beautiful album of Schubert arrangements, cellist Josephine Knight’s gorgeous tone never falters.” The recording was also selected by Apple Music as one of the Ten Best Albums of 2025.

Josephine is a regular guest at the world’s foremost festivals including the BBC Proms, Beethovenfest Bonn, CheltenhamFestival , Gstaad Menuhin Festival, Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, SalzburgFestival, Schloss Elmau, International Chamber Music Festival Stavanger and Savannah Music Festival USA. She has given numerous performances at Wigmore Hall and has appeared at Aldeburgh, Petworth, Newbury, Casa da Música in Porto, the Tonhalle Düsseldorf, and the Stavanger International Chamber Music Festival. Her scholarly edition of Schumann’s Cello Concerto (Concertstück) represents the first-ever publication of the original version and is issued by Edition Peters.

Josephine studied at the Royal Academy of Music with David Strange before continuing her graduate studies with Aldo Parisot at Yale University and the Juilliard School. Following her time in the United States, she was selected by Mischa Maisky to study with him at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena, Italy.

In recognition of her distinguished achievements, Josephine Knight was unanimously elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music in 2009.

Josephine plays on a 1728 Johannes Guidantus kindly found by Florian Leonhard.