The cellist Nathan Bontrager comes from the USA. He is active in many different stylistic areas - early music, folk music from South America, classical and new music. He has given concerts in the USA, South America and Europe and has played with Anthony Braxton, Joe Morris, Stephen Haynes and Carl Testa, among others. He is also active as a composer and has written pieces for solo cello, choir and chamber music ensemble. Bontrager studied baroque cello with Markus Möllenbeck at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen and also studied viola da gamba in the master's program. He is part of various projects, such as the improvisational cello quartet The Octopus and Hen's Teeth, an old-time/appalachian duo, together with violinist and banjo player Jane Rothfield. Together they regularly tour the UK and the USA. Bontrager will be making their first guest appearance at the STAATSTHEATER KARLSRUHE in the 2018/19 season as part of the live band in The Broken Circle. The production is directed by Anna Bergmann.