Graudan Nikolai (24 August / 5 September 1896, Libava – 9 August 1964, Moscow) — cellist, teacher.

Nikolai Graudan studied at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory under L. Abbiate from 1913 to 1918. He performed with the Mariinsky Opera Orchestra and the Imperial Court Symphony Orchestra. In Petrograd, he took part in concerts of the Society for Jewish Folk Music in 1915 and 1919. Beginning in 1919, he taught at the Petrograd Conservatory, eventually becoming a professor.

From December 1920 to October 1924, Graudan lived in Riga, where he gave solo performances and participated in collective concerts. In August 1923, he became the principal cellist of the Latvian National Opera Orchestra. In 1924, he moved to Germany, serving as principal cellist in the Düsseldorf Orchestra, and later with the Berlin Philharmonic (1926–1935). In 1936, he relocated to London and made several return visits to Riga for concerts—in July 1933 and May 1937.

Starting in 1938, Graudan lived in the United States. He taught at several music colleges and was principal cellist of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra from 1939 to 1944. In 1954, together with V. Babin, S. Goldberg, and W. Primrose, he co-founded the Festival Quartet, touring widely and producing numerous recordings. He often performed solo and in ensemble with his wife, the renowned pianist and pedagogue Irina Graudan-Freidberg.

Nikolai Graudan performed under some of the most distinguished conductors of his time, including Wilhelm Furtwängler, Bruno Walter, Dimitri Mitropoulos, and Adrian Boult. He passed away suddenly while visiting Moscow. His playing was marked by exceptional musicality and a clear stylistic interpretation. He played a cello made by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini.

Reference: Baker’s Dictionary of Music. NY, 1997.