Born in 1958 in Hamburg, Jakob Clasen studied with Gerhard Stenzel and David Geringas in his home town and in Lübeck, where he graduated in 1985. A first position brings him to the Munich Chamber Orchestra in 1985. Two years later he joined the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande.

Since then, he has also been active as a chamber musician, notably with the Studi Quartet and the String Sextet of the OSR. In addition, he is the author of a series of arrangements for cello ensembles and co-founder, in 2005, of the Cello Quartet of the OSR.