2CELLOS PLAY YAMAHA

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Yamaha Artist Services Indianapolis is pleased to announce the signing of crossover classical music sensation 2CELLOS. The duo, which consists of cellists Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser, play Yamaha SVC-110SK Silent Cellos.

With more than eight million YouTube hits, their passionate, dueling cellos version of Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" became an Internet sensation – view the video here.

Their debut album features unique versions of well-known rock and pop songs, including "Use Somebody" (Kings of Leon), "The Resistance" (Muse), "With or Without You" (U2), "Viva La Vida" (Coldplay) and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (Nirvana).

"2CELLOS are a fantastic addition our celebrated artist roster," said John Wittmann, Director, Artist Relations, Yamaha Corporation of America. "Their talent and creativity, as well as their ability to bring cello music to an entirely new audience, is sure to make them a formidable force in the music industry."

In addition to touring with legendary Yamaha Artist Elton John, 2CELLOS regularly plays sold-out solo dates at such prestigious venues as the Limelight in London and Largo in Los Angeles. They also made an acclaimed special guest appearance on FOX's hit TV series, GLEE, where they performed "Smooth Criminal" in the Michael Jackson tribute episode. They have also appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and the Ellen DeGeneres Show. The duo also boasts unprecedented success on the Billboard charts where they have been on the top 200 Album chart and achieved the #2 position on the Classical Crossover chart. In Japan, the group recently placed #1 on the import list across all genres.

"Yamaha cellos have been our best companion in the last year," says Sulic. "Not only do they sound fantastic, but they're especially convenient for jet-lagged musicians who want to practice in hotels during the night. They are great for experimenting with special effects and extremely convenient to travel around with."

Hauser agrees: "Yamaha Silent Cellos are just perfect for arena and stadium performances. They never let us down!"

Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser are extremely accomplished musicians, both having played the cello since childhood. Luka recently completed studies at the acclaimed Royal Academy of Music in London, while Stjepan completed his studies at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.

Sulic has performed all over the world at renowned venues including London's Wigmore Hall, Amsterdam's Concertgebouw, as well as Vienna's Musikverein and Konzerthaus. He has won a series of international prizes including first prize at the VII Lutoslawski International Cello Competition (Warsaw, 2009).

Hauser has also performed throughout Europe, South Africa, New Zealand, Asia and the USA, with debuts in London's Wigmore Hall, Royal Albert Hall, South Bank Centre and Amsterdam's Concertgebouw. He was the last pupil of Mstislav Rostropovich. In his short career, Hauser has already been awarded first prize in twenty-one national and international competitions, and he has performed twice for Prince Charles at Buckingham and St James's Palace.

For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; e-mail infostation@yamaha.com or visit http://www.yamaha.com/press.