A person who plays the

cello The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a Bow (music), bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), t ...

is called a cellist. This list of notable cellists is divided into four categories: 1) Living Classical Cellists; 2) Non-Classical Cellists; 3) Deceased Classical Cellists; 4) Deceased Non-Classical Cellists. The cello (/ˈtʃɛloʊ/ chel-oh; plural cellos or celli) is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the

violin family The violin family of musical instruments was developed in Italy in the 16th century. At the time the name of this family of instruments was viole da braccio which was used to distinguish them from the viol family (viole ''da gamba''). The standa ...

of musical instruments.

Living classical cellists

A

* Sophie Adam French cellist * Jamal Aliyev (born 1993, Azerbaijan) *

Nicolas Altstaedt Nicolas Altstaedt (born 1982) is a German classical cellist. Biography and career Altstaedt was born in Heidelberg, Germany. As a soloist, conductor, and artistic director, he performs repertoire spanning from early music to the contemporar ...

(born 1982, Germany) *

Tanya Anisimova Tanya Anisimova (born February 15, 1966) is an American cellist and composer of Russian descent. Tanya Anisimova was born in the Chechen city of Grozny into a family of scientists: her father Dr. Mikhail Anisimov is a well-known physicist. Her ...

(born 1966, Russian, also a composer) *

Julian Armour Julian Armour, (born 29 September 1960 in Missoula, MT) is a Canadian cellist and artistic director. Armour is married to violist Guylaine Lemaire. He is the son of the philosopher Leslie Armour. Early life and education Shortly after his bir ...

(born 1960, Canadian)

B

* Michael Bach (born 1958, Germany, also composer and visual artist) *

Soo Bae Soo Bae (born Apr 1977) is a Korean-Canadian cellist who currently lives in New Jersey. She was born in Seoul, South Korea, and began her cello studies at six years of age. She then moved to Toronto, where she studied at the Royal Conservatory ...

(born 1977, Korean-Canadian, living in United States) *

Zuill Bailey James Zuill Bailey, better known as Zuill Bailey (born 1972) is a Grammy Award-winning American cellist, chamber musician, and artistic director. A graduate of the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University and the Juilliard School, he has ...

(born 1972, United States) *

Alexander Baillie Alexander Baillie (born 6 January 1956) is an English cellist, recognised internationally as one of the finest of his generation. He is currently professor of cello at the Bremen Hochschule and previously taught at Birmingham Conservatoire, as ...

(born 1956, England) * Matthew Barley (born 1965, England) *

Maya Beiser Maya Beiser (born 31 December 1963) is an American musician, cellist, performing artist and Record producer, producer who lives in New York City. Beiser was raised on a kibbutz in Israel by her France, French mother and Argentina, Argentine father ...

(born 1968, Israel, moved to the United States, new classical music) * Emmanuelle Bertrand (born 1971, France) *

Coenraad Bloemendal Coenraad Bloemendal (born April 30, 1946 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch-born Canadian cellist, who has performed, taught and recorded primarily in the field of classical music during a career that has spanned more than four decades. Formal training I ...

(born 1946, Netherlands, moved to Canada) *

Mike Block Michael Glen Block (born May 25, 1982) is an American cellist, singer, composer, and arranger. Career Block has worked with Yo-Yo Ma, Bobby McFerrin, Lenny Kravitz, Shakira, The National, Joe Zawinul, Alison Krauss, Rachel Barton Pine, and Ma ...

(born 1982, United States) *

Becca Bradley Rebecca Lynn Bradley (born May 3, 1991), who goes by the stage name Becca Bradley, is an American Christian musician and cellist, who primarily plays a Christian pop style of worship music. Becca released her first full-length album, ''Heaven Com ...

(born 1991, United States) *

Andreas Brantelid Andreas Brantelid (born 8 October 1987) is a Swedish- Danish cellist. He had his concerto debut at the age of 14 playing Elgar's Cello Concerto with the Royal Danish Orchestra. In 2006 he won the Eurovision Young Musicians The Eurovision Young ...

(born 1987, Denmark) *

Carter Brey Carter Brey (born 1954) is an American cello virtuoso. He had a prolific solo career from 1981 until 1996 when he became the principal cellist of the New York Philharmonic, a position he still holds today. Biography Carter Brey was born in Montc ...

(born 1954, United States) *

František Brikcius František Brikcius is a Czech cellist. Early life František Brikcius was born in Prague. From early childhood, he began to play the cello and later studied at the Prague Conservatoire under Professor Jaroslav Kulhan. He was accepted into t ...

(living, Czech Republic) *

Denis Brott Denis Brott , SMOM (born December 9, 1950) is a Canadian cellist, music teacher, conductor and founder and artistic director of thMontreal Chamber Music Festival

(born 1950, Canada) *

Mario Brunello Mario Brunello (born 1960) is an Italian cellist and musician. The turning point in his artistic life was the 1986 victory of the International Tchaikovsky Competition. Life and career Origins and musical beginnings Brunello, born in Castelfra ...

(born 1960, Italy) *

William Butt William Moore Butt (1805–1888) was a politician in Georgia. Butt arrived in Atlanta in 1851 from Campbell County, Georgia Campbell County was a county of the U.S. state of Georgia from to . It was created by the state legislature on De ...

(born 1968, England) *

Max Beitan Maxim Viktorovich Beitan (Latvian:Maksims Beitāns) (Russian: Максим Викторович Бейтан) (born 25 November 1986) known as Max Beitan, is a Latvian cellist. He is the winner of 18 international competitions five of them Grand P ...

(born 1986, Russia)

C

Gautier Capuçon With Jean-Claude Casadesus Gautier Capuçon (born 3 September 1981) is a French cellist. Biography Gautier Capuçon was born in Chambéry, Savoie, the youngest of three siblings. His brother is the violinist Renaud Capuçon. He started learni ...

(born 1976, France) *

Colin Carr Colin Carr (born 25 October 1957) is a British cello soloist, chamber musician, recording artist and teacher. Biography Born in Liverpool, Carr is professor of cello at the Royal Academy of Music. He taught at the New England Conservatory in Bo ...

(born 1957, England) *

Phoebe Carrai Phoebe Carrai (born October 15, 1955 in Boston) is an American cellist. Carrai studied at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston where she earned both her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees. In 1979, Carrai undertook post-graduate stud ...

(born 1955, United States, baroque and other historical styles) *

Jesús Castro-Balbi Jesús Castro-Balbi is an internationally recognized cellist, pedagogue, higher education and community leader. As of July 2022, Dr. Castro-Balbi assumed the position of Interim Associate Dean at Kennesaw State University Journey Honors College . ...

(living, of Peruvian descent, moved from France to the United States) * Han-na Chang (born 1982, South Korea, also a conductor) *

Young-Chang Cho Young-Chang Cho (born 1958 in Seoul) is a Korean classical cellist teaching at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Germany's Ruhr Area. Career Young-Chang Cho was born in Seoul in 1958. He began cello lessons at the age of eight. From 1971, ...

(born 1958, South Korea) *

Chu Yibing Chu Yibing (Chinese: 朱亦兵) (born 1966) is a Chinese cellist. He contributed to spreading ensemble music all over China. His ensemble China Philharmonic Cellists, made up of 12 Chinese cellists, gives concerts all over the country. Biography ...

(born 1966, China) * Myung-wha Chung (born 1944, Korean) *

Lluís Claret Lluís Claret (born 1951 in Andorra la Vella) is an Andorran Cello, cellist. He was born in Andorra in 1951 where he began his musical education at the age of 9. In 1964 he moved to Barcelona, won major distinctions at the Conservatory of the Lic ...

(born 1951, Andorra) *

Natalie Clein Natalie Clein (born Poole, Dorset) is a British classical cellist. Her mother is a professional violinist. Her sister is the actress Louisa Clein. Early life and education Clein started playing the cello at the age of six, and attended Ta ...

(born 1977, England) *

Bruno Cocset Bruno Cocset (born in 1963 in France) is one of the most influential baroque cello players of this century. After studying in National Conservatory of Tours, he received classes from Anner Bylsma, Jaap Schröder and Christophe Coin. He has worked ...

(born 1963, France) * Robert Cohen (born 1959, England) * Christophe Coin (born 1958, France) * Emilio Colón (born in Puerto Rico, also a composer and conductor) * Marc Coppey (born 1969, France) *

Ouyang Nana Ouyang Nana (; born June 15, 2000) is a Taiwanese singer, musician and actress, known for coming of age romance film '' Secret Fruit'' and the cyberpunk action film ''Bleeding Steel''. Career Music Inspired by cellist Mei-Ying Liao, Ouyang Nan ...

(born 2000, China)

D

Caroline Dale Caroline Dale (born 1965) is a widely recorded British cellist who currently plays principal cello for the English Chamber Orchestra and London Metropolitan Orchestra. She has also performed music for numerous films and played with a wide range ...

(born 1965, England, classical and popular music) *

Nadine Deleury Nadine Deleury is a cellist who was born in northern France. A student of André Navarra, she studied music at the Paris Conservatory. When in Brazil, she met Aldo Parisot during her participation in a cello master class, and she accepted his i ...

(France) *

Robert deMaine Robert DeMaine (born December 6, 1969 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) is an American virtuoso cellist, best known as Principal Cello of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Early life From a musical family, Robert DeMaine began learning music at age 4 fr ...

(born 1969, United States) * William De Rosa (living, United States) *

Rohan de Saram Deshamanya Rohan de Saram (born 9 March 1939) is a British-born Sri Lankan cellist. Until his 30s, he made his name as a classical artist, but has since become renowned for his involvement in and advocacy of contemporary music. He travels widely an ...

(born 1939, England, also contemporary music) * Roel Dieltiens (born 1957, Belgium, baroque and modern cello) *

Denise Djokic Denise Djokic (born 13 November 1980) is a cellist from Halifax, Nova Scotia. ''The Strad'' magazine has called her instantly recognizable for her "arrestingly beautiful tone colour". Career Djokic is a native of Halifax. She grew up in a large mus ...

(born 1980, Canada)

E

* Angela East (born 1949, UK), continuo player and member of Red Priest * Timothy Eddy (living, United States), a founding member of the

Orion String Quartet The Orion String Quartet is a string quartet formed in 1987. It is the quartet-in-residence of New York's Mannes College The New School for Music. The members are Todd and Daniel Phillips, brothers who alternate on first and second violin, viol ...

F

* Yosif Feigelson (born 1955, Latvia) * Emmanuel Feldman (born 1965, United States) * Pablo Ferrández (born 1991, Spain) *

David Finckel David Finckel (born December 6, 1951) is an American cellist and influential figure in the classical music world. The cellist for the Emerson String Quartet from 1979 to 2013, Finckel is currently the co-artistic director of the Chamber Music S ...

(born 1951, United States, founding former member of the

Emerson String Quartet The Emerson String Quartet, also known as the Emerson Quartet, is an American string quartet that was initially formed as a student group at the Juilliard School in 1976. It was named for American poet and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson and beg ...

) * C. Myron Flippin (United States) *

Amanda Forsyth Amanda Forsyth (born 12 October 1966) is a Canadian cellist and the former principal cellist of the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Biography Daughter of composer Malcolm Forsyth, Forsyth came to Canada from South Africa at age 2 and began pla ...

(born 1966, Canada) * Ricardo Roberto Francia (born 1932, Argentina) *

Eugene Friesen Eugene Friesen (born 1952) is an American cellist and composer. Early life Friesen was born in 1952 to Russian Mennonite parents. He is a graduate of the Yale School of Music. Career Friesen has been a member of the Paul Winter Consort since 1 ...

(born 1952, United States) *

Michaela Fukačová Michaela Fukačová (born 27 March 1959) is a Czech Republic, Czech cellist. She took up the cello aged 14, and won the Beethoven Cello Competition two years later. She is a past winner of the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. She studied at ...

(living, Czech Republic)

G

Sol Gabetta Sol Gabetta (born 18 April 1981) is an Argentine cellist. The daughter of Andrés Gabetta and Irène Timacheff-Gabetta, she has French and Russian ancestry. Her brother Andrés is a baroque violinist. Career Gabetta began to learn violin at ...

(born 1981, Argentina) * Ophelie Gaillard (born 1974, France) *

Alban Gerhardt Alban Gerhardt (born 25 May 1969, Berlin) is a German cellist. From a musical family, Gerhardt is the son of a mother who sang coloratura soprano, and his father, Axel Gerhardt, was a second violinist of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra for ov ...

(born 1969, Germany) *

Kristin von der Goltz Kristin (Gräfin) von der Goltz (born 2 May 1966, in Würzburg, West Germany) is a German-Norwegian cellist. She plays music from the baroque repertoire, but she also performs music from later periods. Her five older brothers include the violinis ...

(born 1966, Germany, period instrument) *

David Geringas David Geringas ( lt, Dovydas Geringas; born 29 July 1946 in Vilnius) is a Lithuanian cellist and conductor who studied under Mstislav Rostropovich. In 1970 he won the gold medal at the International Tchaikovsky Competition. He also plays the b ...

(born 1946, Lithuania) * Igor Gavrish (born 1945, Russian) * Rudolf Gleißner (born 1942, Germany) * Tina Guo (born 1985 in China, raised and living in the United States, also an electric cellist and erhuist) *

Natalia Gutman Natalia Grigoryevna Gutman (russian: Наталья Григорьевна Гутман) (born 14 November 1942 in Kazan), PAU, is a Russian cellist. She began to study cello at the Moscow Music School with R. Sapozhnikov. She was later admitted t ...

(born 1942, Russian)

H

Matt Haimovitz Matt Haimovitz (born December 3, 1970) is a cellist based in the United States and Canada. Born in Israel, he grew up in the US from the age of five. He plays mainly a cello made by Matteo Goffriller in 1710. Family, musical education and ear ...

(born 1970, Israel) * Narek Hakhnazaryan (born 1988, Armenia) *

Yehuda Hanani Yehuda Hanani is an international soloist, recording artist, Israeli- American cellist and Professor of Violoncello at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Biography Hanani studied with Leonard Rose at Juilliard and with ...

(born Jerusalem, Israel) * Richard Harwood (born 1979, England) *

Ofra Harnoy Ofra Harnoy ( he, עופרה הרנוי; born January 31, 1965) is an Israeli-Canadian cellist. She is a Member of the Order of Canada. By joining the international artists roster of RCA Victor Red Seal, Harnoy became the first Canadian classica ...

(born 1965, Israel) *

Stjepan Hauser Stjepan Hauser (; born 15 June 1986), known professionally as HAUSER, is a Croatian cellist. He is a member of 2CELLOS, along with Luka Šulić. Early life and musical training Hauser was born in Pula, Croatia, into a musical family, where h ...

(born 1986, Croatia) *

Frans Helmerson Frans Helmerson (born 1945) is a Swedish cellist, pedagogue, and conductor. Biography Helmerson was born in 1945 and by the age of 8 began playing cello. Later on, he studied with Guido Vecchi in Götheborg, Giuseppe Selmi in Rome, and with Willia ...

(born 1945, Sweden) * Catherine Hewgill (born 1963, Australia) - Principal Cello

Sydney Symphony Orchestra The Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO) is an Australian symphony orchestra that was initially formed in 1908. Since its opening in 1973, the Sydney Opera House has been its home concert hall. Simone Young is the orchestra's chief conductor and firs ...

Desmond Hoebig Desmond Hoebig is a Canadian cellist with a career as a soloist, orchestral and chamber musician. Hoebig has held the chair of Principal Cellist in the Cleveland Orchestra, Houston Symphony Orchestra, and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Hoebig is cur ...

(born 1961, Canada) * Louise Hopkins (born 1968, England) * Dale Henderson (cellist) (New York) - Founder of Bach in the Subways * Sébastien Hurtaud (living, France)

I

Steven Isserlis Steven Isserlis (born 19 December 1958) is a British cellist. He has led a distinguished career as a soloist, chamber musician, educator, author and broadcaster. Acclaimed for his profound musicianship, he is also noted for his diverse reper ...

(born 1958, England) *

Sergei Istomin Sergei Istomin (russian: Сергей Хохлов, or Истомин, Сергей Николаевич) is a cellist and a viola da gamba player. He began his violoncello studies at the age of six at the Gnessin School for gifted children in Mo ...

(Russian, resides in Belgium), period instruments, also plays viola da gamba * Yuki Ito (born 1990, Japan)

J

* Guy Johnston (born 1981, England)

K

Sheku Kanneh-Mason Sheku Kanneh-Mason (born 4 April 1999) is a British cellist who won the 2016 BBC Young Musician award. He was the first Black musician to win the competition since its launch in 1978. He played at the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle ...

(born 1999, United Kingdom) *

Ivan Karizna Ivan Karizna is a French cellist. He was bronze medalist at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2011 and ended 5th in the 2017 Queen Elisabeth Competition for cello. Biography Ivan Karizna was born in Dzyatlava, Belarus and got interested ...

(born 1992, Belarus) *

Anssi Karttunen Anssi Karttunen (born 1960) is a Finnish cellist. Karttunen's repertoire ranges from the early baroque to living composers and improvisation. He has performed with many orchestras in Europe, Asia, and the Americas, including the Philharmonia, BBC ...

(born 1960, Finland) * Paul Katz (living, United States), founding member of the

Cleveland Quartet The Cleveland Quartet was a string quartet founded in 1969 by violinist Donald Weilerstein, at the time an instructor at the Cleveland Institute of Music, whose director Victor Babin had secured funding for an in-resident quartet (the institute's f ...

* Jonah Kim (born 1988, South Korea) *

Ralph Kirshbaum Ralph Henry Kirshbaum (born March 4, 1946) is an American cellist. During his career he has performed as soloist with major orchestras worldwide, won prizes in several international competitions, and recorded extensively. Early life and education ...

(born 1946, United States) *

Maria Kliegel Maria Kliegel (born 14 November 1952) is a German cellist. Professional career Kliegel was born in Dillenburg, Hesse. She studied under Janos Starker starting at the age of 19. She won first prize at the American College Competition, First Germ ...

(born 1952, Germany) * Jacob Koranyi (born 1983, Sweden) *

Nina Kotova Nina Kotova is an American cellist of Eastern European decent. As well as being a versatile artist and an established composer she is a recording artist who performs both as a soloist with major orchestras and as a chamber musician. Education K ...

(born 1969 in Soviet Union, lives in the United States) * Anatoli Krastev (born 1947, Bulgaria) * Josef Krecmer (born 1958, Czech Republic) * Joel Krosnick (born 1941, United States), was member of

Juilliard String Quartet The Juilliard String Quartet is a classical music string quartet founded in 1946 at the Juilliard School in New York by William Schuman. Since its inception, it has been the quartet-in-residence at the Juilliard School. It has received numerous ...

Wieland Kuijken Wieland Kuijken (; born Dilbeek, 31 August 1938) is a Belgium, Belgian musician and player of the viola da gamba and baroque cello. Biography Kuijken started his career in music in 1952 with the Brussels Alariusensemble of which he formed part un ...

(born 1938), Belgium, baroque cello and viola da gamba, also a conductor * Friedemann Kupsa (born 1943, Austria) *

Aage Kvalbein Aage Kvalbein (born 29 March 1947) is a Norwegian cellist and a professor in cello at the Norwegian Academy of Music. He is one of the most well-renowned musicians in Norway, both as a soloist, chamber musician and as a pedagogue. Kvalbein was bo ...

(born 1947, Norway)

L

* David Lale (Australian cellist) (born 1962, England) * David Lale (British cellist) (born 1981, England) *

Gerard Le Feuvre Gerard Le Feuvre (born 11 September 1962) is a British musician. Early life and education Le Feuvre was born on 11 September 1962 in Jersey, Channel Islands, one of four children of a Jersey businessman. He is an alumnus of the Royal Academy ...

(born 1962, Channel Islands) *

Trey Lee Chui-yee Trey Lee (Chinese:李垂誼; pinyin: Chui-yee Lee) is a Hong Kong-born cellist based in Berlin, Germany. A laureate of major international competitions, he appears as a featured soloist with orchestras and festivals all over the world. He is also ...

(born 1973, Hong Kong) * Mats Lidström (born 1959, Sweden) *

Jaap ter Linden Jaap ter Linden (born 10 April 1947, in Rotterdam) is a Dutch cellist, viol player and conductor. He specialises in performance of baroque and classical music on authentic instruments. He began his career as principal cellist of notable baro ...

(born 1947, Netherlands), baroque cello * Gavriel Lipkind (born 1977, Israel) * Hugh Livingston (born 1969) *

Julian Lloyd Webber Julian Lloyd Webber (born 14 April 1951) is a British solo cellist, conductor and broadcaster, a former principal of Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and the founder of the In Harmony music education programme. Early years and education Julian ...

(born 1951, England) *

Sam Lucas Sam Lucas (August 7, 1840 – January 10, 1916) was an American actor, comedian, singer, and songwriter. Sam Lucas's exact date of birth is disputed. Lucas's year of birth, to freed former slaves, has also been cited as 1839, 1841, 1848 and 1850 ...

(born 1996, Australia)

M

Yo-Yo Ma Yo-Yo Ma (''Chinese'': 馬友友 ''Ma Yo Yo''; born October 7, 1955) is an American cellist. Born in Paris to Chinese parents and educated in New York City, he was a child prodigy, performing from the age of four and a half. He graduated from ...

(born 1955 in France, raised and living in the United States) *

Mischa Maisky Mischa Maisky ( lv, Miša Maiskis, he, מישה מייסקי, russian: Миша Майский; born 10 January 1948) is a Soviet-born Israeli cellist. Biography Mischa Maisky was born in 1948 in Riga and is the younger brother of organist, har ...

(born 1948, Latvia) * Brian Manker (living, Canada) *

Jonathan Manson Jonathan Manson is a Scottish cellist and viol player. Born in Edinburgh, he studied cello with Jane Cowan and later went on to the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, where he studied with Steven Doane and Christel Thielmann. He studied ...

(living, born in Scotland), period instruments, also plays viola da gamba *

Alain Meunier 2014 Alain Meunier (born 22 June 1942 in Paris) is a French cellist. Meunier was born in Paris, the third child among four siblings. Starting the cello at the age of 13 and received premier prix in chamber music at 15 and in cello at 16. He sud ...

(born 1942, France) *

Antônio Meneses Antônio Meneses Neto (born 23 August 1957 in Recife) is a Brazilian cellist. Antonio Meneses was born into a family of musicians. His father was first horn player at the Opera of Rio de Janeiro. He began to study the cello when he was ten. Durin ...

(born 1957, Brazil) * Ailbhe McDonagh (born 1982, Ireland) *

Ivan Monighetti Ivan () is a Slavic male given name, connected with the variant of the Greek name (English: John) from Hebrew meaning 'God is gracious'. It is associated worldwide with Slavic countries. The earliest person known to bear the name was Bulgari ...

(born 1948, Poland) * John Moran (born 1963, United States), baroque cello *

Truls Mørk Truls Olaf Otterbech Mørk (born 25 April 1961) is a Norwegian Cello, cellist. Biography Mørk was born in Bergen, Norway to a cellist father, John Fritjof Mørk, and a pianist mother, Turid Otterbech. His mother began teaching him the piano wh ...

(born 1961, Norway) * Johannes Moser (born 1979, Germany, lives in Canada) *

Philippe Muller Philippe Muller (born 20 April 1946, in Mulhouse) is a French cellist. Biography Philippe Muller (born April 20, 1946, in Mulhouse) is a French cellist and pedagogue. His first contact with the cello was under the guidance of Dominique Prete, p ...

(born 1946, France) *

Daniel Müller-Schott Daniel Müller-Schott (born 1976) is a German cellist. Born in Munich, he studied with Walter Nothas, Austrian cellist Heinrich Schiff and British cellist Steven Isserlis. Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter personally coached him in her foundation, t ...

(born 1976, Germany)

N

Steven Sharp Nelson Steven Sharp Nelson (born July 5, 1977) is an American cellist. He is best known as "The Cello Guy" of the classical new-age musical group The Piano Guys, with whom he has released eight number-one albums and dozens of music videos. He also has ...

(born 1977, United States), member Of

The Piano Guys The Piano Guys is an American musical group consisting of pianist Jon Schmidt, cellist Steven Sharp Nelson, videographer Paul Anderson, and music producer Al van der Beek. Originating in Utah, they gained popularity through YouTube, where in ...

* Clancy Newman (born 1977, United States) * Şerban Nichifor (born 1954, Romania), also a composer *

Arto Noras Arto Noras (born 12 May 1942, in Turku) is a Finnish cellist who is one of Finland's most celebrated instrumentalists and amongst the most outstanding internationally acknowledged cellists of his generation. At the age of 8, Arto Noras started ...

(born 1942, Finland) *

Nancy Lenehan Nancy Lenehan (born April 26, 1953) is an American actress who has appeared in film and television since the 1980s. She is best known for Audrey in ''Grace Under Fire'' (1993-1998), Kay Hickey in ''My Name Is Earl'' (2005-2008), and Angela in ' ...

(born 1953, United States), learning to play

O

Kevin Olusola Kevin Oluwole Olusola, also known as K.O., (born October 5, 1988) is an American singer-songwriter, beatboxer, and cellist. Olusola is best known as the beatboxer of the a cappella group Pentatonix. After the group won NBC's '' The Sing-Off'' in ...

(born 1988, United States) *

(born 2000, China)

P

Johann Sebastian Paetsch Johann Sebastian Paetsch (born in Colorado Springs, U.S. on April 11, 1964) is an American cellist and musician. Early musical education Paetsch began his cello studies with his father, Günther Paetsch (who was also a cellist), at the age of ...

(born 1964, United States) *

Paolo Pandolfo Paolo Pandolfo is an Italian virtuoso player, composer, and teacher of music for the viola da gamba, born on January 31, 1964. He began his studies as a double bass and guitar player, becoming a skilled performer of jazz and popular music.Ernesto ...

(born 1964, Italy, viola da gamba) *

Angela Park Angela Park ( ko, 박혜인, born August 25, 1988) is a Brazilian-American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour. She holds dual citizenship in Brazil and the United States. Childhood and personal life Park was born in Foz do Iguaçu ...

(born 1987, United States) *

Saerom Park Saerom Park (Saerom Emma Lou Park, 박새롬, born June 23, 1981), is a Korean-German cellist. Saerom Park's musical activities have already taken her across Europe, East Asia and South Africa in performances as both soloist and chamber musician ...

(born 1981, South Korea) * Vito Paternoster (born circa 1963 stimated from other dates Italy, also a conductor and composer) * Amit Peled (born 1973, Israel) * Samuli Peltonen (born 1981, Finland) *

David Pereira 250px David Pereira (born 21 September 1953) is an Australian classical cellist, considered one of the finest working today. He was Senior Lecturer in Cello at the Canberra School of Music from 1990 to 2008. Later he worked there as a Distingui ...

(born 1953, Australia) *

Miklós Perényi Miklós Perényi (born 5 January 1948) is a Hungarian cellist. He was born in Budapest into a musical family and studied at the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest with Ede Banda and Enrico Mainardi. He continued his studies at the Accademi ...

(born 1948, Hungary) *

Vladimir Perlin Vladimir Pavlovich Perlin (russian: Владимир Па́влович Перлин; born 1 March 1942) is a Soviet and Belarusian cellist and pedagogue. Biography Vladimir Perlin was born in Frunze to ''Berta Borisovna Fidlon'' and ''Pav ...

(born 1942 in Soviet Union, lives in Belarus, also a conductor and pedagogue) * Luigi Piovano (living, Italy, baroque and modern cellos, also a conductor) *

Anthony Pleeth Anthony Pleeth, born in 1948 in London, is an English cellist, specialising in the Authentic performance, historically informed performance of music of the 18th and 19th centuries on period instruments. Biography and career He studied cello wit ...

(born 1948, England, baroque cello, son and student of

William Pleeth William Pleeth OBE (12 January 1916 – 6 April 1999) was a well-known British cellist and an eminent teacher, who became widely known as the teacher of Jacqueline du Pré. Biography Early years William Pleeth was born in London. His p ...

) * Carlos Prieto (born 1937, Mexico)

Q

Jean-Guihen Queyras Jean-Guihen Queyras is a French cellist. He was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on 11 March 1967, and moved with his parents to Algeria when he was 5 years old; the family moved to France 3 years later. He is a professor at the Musikhochschule F ...

(born 1967 in Canada, lives in France, plays baroque and modern cellos) * Misha Quint (born 1960 in Soviet Union, moved to the United States)

R

* Giovanni Ricciardi (born 1968, Italy) * Sharon Robinson (born 1949, United States) *(Kyril)

Kirill Rodin Kirill (Kyril or Kyrill) Rodin is a Russian cellist and professor of cello. Rodin performs as a soloist in the Moscow State Philharmonic and is the cellist of the Tchaikovsky String Quartet (commonly referred to as the Tchaikovsky Quartet or Tcha ...

(born 1963, Russian) * Sergei Roldugin (born 1951, Russia) *

Shauna Rolston Shauna Rolston (born 31 January 1967 in Edmonton, Alberta) is a Canadian cellist. Rolston was a cello child prodigy and attended the Geneva Conservatory in Switzerland at age fourteen. She studied with Pierre Fournier, and later at the Britten- ...

(born 1967, Canada) *

Joshua Roman Joshua Roman (born December 16, 1983) is an American cellist. Background An Oklahoma native, Joshua Roman attended the Cleveland Institute of Music. At CIM, he studied with Richard Aaron and Desmond Hoebig. Roman received his Bachelor of Music ...

(born 1983, United States) *

Alexei Romanenko Alexei Romanenko is a Russian-born cellist. Romanenko was born in Vladivostok, Russia, Romanenko began playing the cello at six-years old. He studied at the Moscow Conservatory under cello professor Valentin Feygin. In 1998, Romanenko moved to the ...

(born 1974 in Soviet Union, moved to the United States) * Nathaniel Rosen (born 1948, United States) * Martti Rousi (born 1960, Finland) *

Alexander Rudin Alexander Israilevich Rudin (born 1960) is a Russian classical cellist and conductor. Biography and career Rudin was born in 1960, in Moscow, and he studied piano and cello at the Gnessin Institute before later studying conducting at the Moscow ...

(born 1960, Russian) *

Martin Rummel Martin Rummel (born 2 May 1974) is an Austrian cellist. Biography The son of Peter Rummel, professor of law, grew up in Linz, where he went to primary school and graduated from Akademisches Gymnasium, where he received a Classical education ...

(born 1974, Austria)

S

* John Sant’Ambrogio (born 1932, United States) *

Sara Sant'Ambrogio Sara Sant'Ambrogio (born 1962) is an American cellist best known as a member of the Eroica Trio. She was born in Boston and began her studies with her father, John Sant'Ambrogio, principal cellist with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra. She was ...

(born 1962, United States) * Niklas Schmidt (born 1958, Germany) * Julian Schwarz (born 1991, United States) *

Inbal Segev Inbal Segev ( he, ענבל שגב) is a cellist who grew up in Israel. Segev began her studies in Israel at the age of 5. With the recommendation of Isaac Stern, she came to the United States to continue her studies at the age of 16. She debuted wit ...

(born in Israel, lives in the United States) * Tessa Seymour (born 1993, United States) *

Fred Sherry Fred Sherry (born 1948) is an American cellist who is particularly admired for his work as a chamber musician and concert soloist. He studied with Leonard Rose at the Juilliard School before winning the Young Concert Artists International Auditions ...

(born 1948, United States) *

Andrew Shulman Andrew Shulman (born 1960 in London, England) is an English virtuoso cellist, conductor and composer. He is currently the principal cellist of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and maintains his cello studio at the University of Southern Californ ...

(born 1960, England, also a conductor and composer) *

Vedran Smailović Vedran Smailović (born 11 November 1956), known as the "Cellist of Sarajevo", is a musician from Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the siege of Sarajevo, he played Albinoni's ''Adagio in G Minor'' in ruined buildings, and, often under the threat ...

(born 1956, Bosnia and Herzogovina, lives in Northern Ireland) *

Giovanni Sollima Giovanni Sollima (born 24 October 1962 in Palermo, Sicily, Italy) is an Italian composer and cellist. He was born into a family of musicians and studied cello with Giovanni Perriera and composition with his father, Eliodoro Sollima, at the Con ...

(born 1962, Italy, also a composer) *

Jeffrey Solow Jeffrey Solow (born January 3, 1949) is an American cello virtuoso and past president of both the American String Teachers Association and the Violoncello Society, Inc. of New York. Biography Born in Los Angeles, Solow began cello lessons at t ...

(born 1949, Los Angeles) * Kian Soltani (born 1992, Austria) * Pierre Strauch (born 1958, France) *

Peter Stumpf Peter Stumpf may refer to: *Peter Stumpp (d. 1589) or Peter Stumpf, tried as a werewolf in 1589 *Peter Stumpf (cellist), principal cello of the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra * Peter P. Stumpf Jr. (1948–2010), American politician and business ...

(United States) *

Luka Šulić Luka Šulić (born 25 August 1987) is a Slovenian-Croatian cellist. He is a member of 2CELLOS, along with Stjepan Hauser. Early life Šulić was born in Maribor, Slovenia. Šulić's father, Božo (through whom Šulić has Croatian citizenship ...

(born 1987, Slovenia) * Hidemi Suzuki (born 1957, Japan, period instruments, also a conductor)

T

Stéphane Tétreault Stéphane Tétreault (born 10 April 1993) is a Canadian cellist. He first made international headlines as the recipient of Bernard Greenhouse's cello, the 1707 "Countess of Stainlein Ex- Paganini" Stradivarius, generously loaned to him by Mrs. Ja ...

(born 1993, Canada) *

Camille Thomas Camille Thomas (born May 1988 in Paris, France) is a Franco-Belgian cellist. Biography Camille Thomas began studying the cello at the age of 4. At 10 years old, she studied under Marcel Bardon at the ''Conservatoire national de région de P ...

(born 1988, France) * Ronald Thomas (born 1952, United States) *

Doron Toister Doron Toister (born 16 May 1957) is a cellist, pianist, composer and classical music arranger. He leads the cello group of the Israeli Rishon Lezion Symphony Orchestra and Israeli Opera Orchestra. Biography Doron Toister was born on May 16, 195 ...

(born 1957, Israel) * Fiona Thompson (born in England, lives in the United States) *

Bion Tsang Bion Yu-Ting Tsang (traditional Chinese/simplified Chinese: 章雨亭; pinyin: Zhāng Yǔ-Tíng) (born May 4, 1967) is an American cellist and professor. Biography Bion Tsang was born in Lansing, Michigan to Chinese parents. His father, Paul ...

(born 1967, United States)

U

Frances-Marie Uitti Frances-Marie Uitti (born 1946) is an Americans, American cellist and composer known for her use of extended techniques and performance of contemporary classical music. Tom Service, music criticism, music critic for the ''The Guardian, Guardian'' n ...

(born 1946, United States, also a composer)

V

* Laura van der Heijden (born 1997, England) *

Jan Vogler Jan Vogler (born February 18, 1964) is a German-born classical cellist who lives in New York City."About Jan Vogler" ...

(born 1964 in Germany, lives in the United States)

W

* Nathan Waks (born 1951, Australia) *

Christine Walevska Christine Walevska (born March 8, 1945, Los Angeles) is an American classical cellist. She is known for her numerous recordings with Philips Records and performing concerts worldwide. In 1975, she became the first concert musician to perform in ...

(born 1943, Los Angeles, California) *

Raphael Wallfisch Raphael Wallfisch (born 15 June 1953 in London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames i ...

(born 1953, England) * Jian Wang (born 1968, China) *

Wendy Warner Wendy Warner is a cellist from Chicago, Illinois. She performs both as a soloist with major orchestras and as a chamber musician around the world. Career Wendy Warner is one of the world's leading cellists, praised by Strings magazine for her ...

(living, United States) *

Graham Waterhouse Graham Waterhouse (born 2 November 1962) is an English composer and cellist who specializes in chamber music. He has composed a cello concerto, ''Three Pieces for Solo Cello'' and ''Variations for Cello Solo'' for his own instrument, and string ...

(born 1962, England, also a composer) * Paul Watkins (born 1970, Wales) *

Alisa Weilerstein Alisa Weilerstein (born April 14, 1982) is an American classical cellist. She was named a 2011 MacArthur Fellow. Life and career Weilerstein was born in Rochester, New York. to a secular Jewish family. She started playing the cello at age four. ...

(born 1982, United States) *

Paul Wiancko Paul Wiancko (born 1983) is an American composer and cellist of the Kronos Quartet. Early life and education Paul Kenji Wiancko was born in San Clemente, California. He began playing the cello at age 5 and composed his first piece at age 8.

(born 1983, United States, also a composer) *

Peter Wiley Peter Wiley (born 1955) is a cellist and cello teacher. He entered the Curtis Institute of Music at 13 years of age, where he studied with David Soyer. He was then appointed principal cellist of the Cincinnati Symphony at age 20, after one year ...

(born 1955, United States) *

Dominique de Williencourt Dominique de Williencourt is a French cellist and composer, born in Lille in 1959. Works * ''Abraham and Isaac'', opus 7, for baritone, flute and string orchestra. First performed in the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Paris, February 2007 * ...

(born 1959, France, also a composer) *

Pieter Wispelwey Pieter Wispelwey (born 25 September 1962) is a Dutch cellist. In 1992, he was the first cellist to receive the Netherlands Music Prize, a government-awarded prize given to the most promising young musician in the Netherlands. He has come to ...

(born 1962, Netherlands)

XYZ

Sung-Won Yang Sung-Won Yang is a South Korean cellist who performs worldwide as a soloist and as a chamber musician. He studied with Philippe Muller and Janos Starker, and graduated from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris. He has coll ...

(living, South Korea) * Daniel Yeadon (born 1967, England, lives in Australia)

Living non-classical cellists

B

Thomas Batuello ''The Naked Brothers Band'' is a 2005 American children's musical comedy film written and directed by Polly Draper, which stars her sons, Nat Wolff and Alex Wolff, who portray members of a fictional rock group. It tells of the boys' struggles with ...

(born 1994, TV work, rock music) *

Matt Brubeck Charles Matthew "Matt" Brubeck (born May 9, 1961) is an American cellist, bassist, keyboardist, composer, and arranger. He is both a performer of classical music and jazz and rock. Early life and career Matt Brubeck was born in Norwalk, Conne ...

(born 1961, United States, jazz music)

C

Isobel Campbell Isobel Campbell (born 27 April 1976) is a Scottish singer, songwriter and cellist. She rose to prominence at age nineteen as a member of the indie pop band Belle & Sebastian, but left the group to pursue a solo career, first as The Gentle Waves ...

(born 1976, Scotland, indie rock) *

Grace Chatto Grace Chatto (born 10 December 1985) is an English musician and singer who is the cellist, backing vocalist and occasional main vocalist, for the electronic music band Clean Bandit. Education Chatto attended Latymer School and Westminster S ...

(living, born 10 December 1985, multi-instrumentalist, key member of band, Clean Bandit.) * Gretta Cohn (living, United States, rock musician and radio producer) *

Melora Creager Melora Creager (born March 25, 1966) is an American cellist, singer-songwriter, performing artist and founder of the rock band Rasputina. Early life, beginnings and Rasputina Born in Kansas City, Missouri, and adopted by a graphic designer and ...

(born 1966, United States, rock music)

D

(born 1965, England, classical and popular music)

E

Rushad Eggleston Rushad Robert Eggleston (born September 30, 1979) is an American cellist, composer, jazz vocalist, & performer. Eggleston's music can be eccentric, with many references to fantasy and goblins. Eggleston is known for inventing words, and for hi ...

(born 1979, United States, cello rock)

F

Gideon Freudmann Gideon Freudmann, is a composer, performer and cello innovator coined the term ''CelloBop'' to describe his music. His solo performances often include improvisation and the use of technology to sample, loop and layer tracks in real time to create ...

(living, eclectic composer, cello rock) *

Erik Friedlander Erik Friedlander is an American cellist and composer based in New York City. A veteran of New York City's experimental downtown scene, Friedlander has worked in many contexts, but is perhaps best known for his frequent collaborations with sax ...

(born 1960, United States, jazz) *

(born 1952, United States, jazz/improvisational cellist)

G

Károly Garam Károly Garam (born 10 May 1941, Eger) is a Hungarian-Finnish cello player and the brother of violinist :fi:Lajos Garam. Károly Garam studied cello playing in the Sibelius Academy in Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), offi ...

(born 1941 in Hungary, moved to Finland, popular musics) *

Lani Groves Lani Groves (born 1980 in Bloemfontein) is a South African musician and actor. She began playing the cello and singing at the age of five years. Groves performs regularly at musical events across the Gauteng region in South Africa. In 2004, Grov ...

(born 1980, South Africa, world musics) *

Hildur Guðnadóttir Hildur Ingveldardóttir Guðnadóttir (born 4 September 1982) is an Icelandic musician and composer. A classically trained cellist, she has played and recorded with the bands Pan Sonic, Throbbing Gristle, Múm, and Stórsveit Nix Noltes, and h ...

(born 1982, Iceland, lives in Germany, solo and in electronica bands) * Tina guo (born 1985, China)

H

Natalie Haas Natalie may refer to: People * Natalie (given name) * Natalie (singer) (born 1979), Mexican-American R&B singer/songwriter * Shahan Natalie (1884–1983), Armenian writer and principal organizer of Operation Nemesis Music Albums * ''Nata ...

(living, United States, Celtic folk music) *

Melissa Hasin Melissa "Missy" Hasin, (born November 3, 1954) is an American cellist who was raised in Newport Beach, California. Biography Although her parents wanted her to stick with classical music, she played the electric bass in various blues and ...

(born 1954, United States, popular music) *

(born 1986, Croatia, part of

2Cellos 2CELLOS (stylized 2CΞLLOS) were a Croatian cellist duo, consisting of classically trained cellists Luka Šulić and Stjepan Hauser. Signed to Sony Masterworks since 2011, they released six albums. They played instrumental arrangements of well ...

) *

Svante Henryson Svante Henryson (born 22 October 1963 in Stockholm, Sweden) is a composer, cellist, bass guitarist and double bassist, active within jazz, classical music, and hard rock. Biography Childhood and studies Svante Henryson grew up in Umeå in northe ...

(born 1963, Sweden, jazz, rock, also a composer) *

Tristan Honsinger Tristan Honsinger (born October 23, 1949) is an American cello player active in free jazz and free improvisation. He is perhaps best known for his long-running collaboration with free jazz pianist Cecil Taylor and guitarist Derek Bailey. Born ...

(born 1949, United States, free jazz and free improvisation) * Ivan Hussey (living, leader of Celloman, fusion music)

J

Jorane Jorane Pelletier (born October 12, 1975), known professionally as Jorane, is a French-Canadian singer/cellist, who performs pop and alternative music style on the cello, a typically classical instrument, while singing at the same time. She has r ...

(born 1975, Canada, alternative singer-songwriter)

K

Zoë Keating Zoë Clare Keating (born February 2, 1972) is a Canadian-American cellist and composer once based in San Francisco, California, now based in Vermont. Music career Keating performed from 2002 to 2006 as second chair cellist in the cello rock band ...

(born 1972, Canada, cello rock and classical, also a soundtrack composer) *

Julia Kent Julia Kent is a Canadian cellist and composer from Vancouver, Canada, and based in New York City, United States. She has performed as a member of Rasputina and with Antony and the Johnsons. Musical career Kent creates music using looped cell ...

(living, born in Canada, cello rock) *

Perttu Kivilaakso Perttu Päivö Kullervo Kivilaakso is a cello player for Finnish band Apocalyptica. Like fellow band members Eicca Toppinen and Paavo Lötjönen, he attended Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. He plays a German 19th century cello; he started play ...

(born 1978, Finland, from cello metal band

Apocalyptica Apocalyptica is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Helsinki, formed in 1993. The band is composed of classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso, and jazz drummer Mikko Sirén. Originally a classical ...

) *

Brent Kutzle Brent Michael Kutzle (born August 3, 1985) is an American musician, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer, and film composer originating from Fountain Valley, California. He is the bassist and cellist for the pop rock band OneRepubli ...

(born 1987, United States, in band

OneRepublic OneRepublic is an American pop rock band formed in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 2002. It consists of lead vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Tedder, lead guitarist and violist Zach Filkins, rhythm guitarist Drew Brown, bassist and cellis ...

)

L

Caroline Lavelle Caroline Lavelle is an English singer-songwriter and cellist who has created three solo albums and contributed vocals, music, and production help to many other artists and bands. Career Lavelle studied at the Royal College of Music in London. ...

(living, British singer-songwriter and cellist) * Alexandra Lawn (from indie rock band

Ra Ra Riot Ra Ra Riot is an American indie rock band consisting of vocalist Wes Miles, bassist Mathieu Santos, guitarist Milo Bonacci, violinist Rebecca Zeller and drummer Kenny Bernard. History Ra Ra Riot formed in January 2006, playing at houses and ven ...

) * Ana Lenchantin (living, United States, from progressive rock band Into the Presence) *

Max Lilja Max Lilja (born 27 October 1975) is a Finnish cello player. He is best known as a founding member of the Finnish cello metal band Apocalyptica, a band he left in 2001 to join the Finnish thrash metal band Hevein. Beginning in 2007, Lilja has ...

(born 1975, Finland, from thrash metal band Hevein) *

Fred Lonberg-Holm Fred Lonberg-Holm (born 1 October 1962) is an American cellist based in Chicago. He moved from New York City to Chicago in 1995. Lonberg-Holm is most identified with playing free improvisation and free jazz. He is also a composer of concert wor ...

(born 1962, United States, jazz) *

Paavo Lötjönen Paavo Lötjönen (born 29 July 1968) is a cello player for Finnish band Apocalyptica. Paavo comes from a family where both of his parents were professional musicians. At the age of 6, he took a cello and decided that would be the instrument he ...

(born 1968, Finland, from cello metal band

)

M

Antero Manninen Antero Manninen (born 19 January 1973), also known as ‘‘‘Mr. Cool’’’, is a session musician and former band member of Finnish Cello metal quartet Apocalyptica. He was an official member but did not write the music and left in 1999 due ...

(born 1973, Finland, cello metal) *

Martin McCarrick Martin McCarrick (born 29 July 1962) is an English cellist, keyboardist, guitarist and composer. Aside from being a live and recording artist, he is also a teacher and visiting lecturer in music. Career His first recording in the pop/rock ar ...

(born 1962, England, rock) *

Kerry Minnear Kerry Churchill Minnear (born 2 January 1948 in the town of Shaftesbury in Dorset, England) is a multi-instrumentalist musician known primarily for his work with the progressive rock band Gentle Giant from 1970 to 1980. He graduated from the Ro ...

(born 1948, England, multi-instrumentalist, progressive rock with 70s band

Gentle Giant Gentle Giant were a British progressive rock band active between 1970 and 1980. The band were known for the complexity and sophistication of their music and for the varied musical skills of their members. All of the band members were multi-inst ...

)

N

(born 1977, member of "The Piano Guys")

P

* Neyla Pekarek (born 1986, United States, also a vocalist, from folk rock band

The Lumineers The Lumineers are an American alternative folk band based in Denver, Colorado. The founding members are Wesley Schultz (lead vocals, guitar) and Jeremiah Fraites (drums, percussion, piano). Schultz and Fraites began writing and performing toge ...

)

R

Saskia Rao-de Haas Saskia Rao-de Haas (born 1971) is a virtuoso cellist and composer from the Netherlands based in New Delhi, India. She is married to the sitarist Shubhendra Rao. Early life Saskia was born in Abcoude, the Netherlands in a family of music lovers. ...

(born 1971, Netherlands, primarily known for

Hindustani classical music Hindustani classical music is the classical music of northern regions of the Indian subcontinent. It may also be called North Indian classical music or, in Hindustani, ''shastriya sangeet'' (). It is played in instruments like the violin, sita ...

, also a composer) *

Ernst Reijseger Ernst Reijseger (born 13 November 1954) is a Dutch cellist and composer. He specializes in avant-garde jazz, free jazz, improvised music, and contemporary classical music and often gives solo concerts. He has worked with Louis Sclavis, Dere ...

(born 1954, Netherlands, improvisation) *

Hank Roberts Hank Roberts (born March 24, 1954, Terre Haute, Indiana) is an American jazz cellist and vocalist. He plays the electric cello, and his style is a mixture of rock, jazz, avant-garde, folk, and classical influences. He emerged with the downtown N ...

(born 1954, United States, jazz)

S

Jane Scarpantoni Jane Scarpantoni (born 1960)https://www.myheritage.com/names/jane_scarpantoni is a classically trained American cello player who has played on a number of alternative rock albums. She was a member of Hoboken, New Jersey's Tiny Lights in the mid-1 ...

(living, United States, alternative rock) * Philip Sheppard (living, England, also a composer) *

Ben Sollee Ben Sollee is an American cellist, singer-songwriter, and composer known for his political activism. His music incorporates banjo, guitar, and mandolin along with percussion and unusual cello techniques. His songs exhibit a mix of folk, bluegras ...

(born 1983, United States, singer-songwriter, eclectic genres) *

(born 1987, Croatia, part of

) *

Mark Summer Mark Summer is the original cellist of the Turtle Island Quartet; he is a co-founder of the quartet and performed with Turtle Island (a.k.a. Turtle Island String Quartet) from its founding in 1985 until the fall of 2015. Biography Born on Apri ...

(born 1958, United States, original cellist of

Turtle Island String Quartet The Turtle Island Quartet is a string quartet that plays hybrids of jazz, classical, and rock music. The group was formed in 1985 by David Balakrishnan, Darol Anger, and Mark Summer in San Francisco. They released their first album on Windham ...

)

T

Martin Tillman Martin Tillman (born 6 November 1964) is a Swiss cellist and composer. Biography Tillman was born in Zürich, Switzerland, in 1964. He arrived in the US in 1988. He has since performed/composed on numerous films, television shows, commercials and ...

(born 1964, Switzerland, also a composer) *

Eicca Toppinen Eino Matti "Eicca" Toppinen (born 5 August 1975) is a Finnish cellist The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a bowed (sometimes plucked and occasionally hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four str ...

(born 1975, Finland, from cello metal band

) * Matt Turner (living, United States)

W

Kanon Wakeshima is a Japanese musician and singer. Originally produced by musician and fashion designer Mana, Wakeshima debuted under the DefStar Records label on May 28, 2008 with the single " Still Doll", the ending theme for the anime adaptation of the manga ...

(born 1988, Japan, also a vocalist) * Aubrey Webber (living, United States, nerd-folk with

The Doubleclicks The Doubleclicks are a nerd-folk musical duo based in Portland, Oregon, consisting of siblings Laser Malena-Webber (on guitar, ukulele, or cat keyboard) and Aubrey Turner. They first became known for performing nerd-friendly comedy music, inclu ...

) *

Gay-Yee Westerhoff Gay-Yee Westerhoff (born 14 June 1973, in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England), is an English cellist of the all female string quartet, Bond. She studied A-level music at Wyke College in Hull and holds an Honours Degree in music from Tr ...

(born 1973, England, of crossover band

Bond Bond or bonds may refer to: Common meanings * Bond (finance), a type of debt security * Bail bond, a commercial third-party guarantor of surety bonds in the United States * Chemical bond, the attraction of atoms, ions or molecules to form chemica ...

)

XYZ

Alexander Zhiroff Alexander "Sasha" Zhiroff (born 13 April 1951 in Ishim, Soviet Union) is a Russian cellist whose performing career has included appearances as a soloist with orchestras in the United States, Russia, Cuba, recitals in major concert halls, and reco ...

(born 1951, Russian, world music)

Deceased classical cellists

A

* Claus Adam (1917–1983, United States, also a composer) * Joseph Alexander (c.1770–1822, Germany) *

Diran Alexanian Diran Alexanian ( hy, Տիրան Ալեքսանեան) (April 12, 1881, Constantinople – 1954, Chamonix, France) was an Armenian cello teacher and one of the world's greatest virtuoso cellists. Early life He started his studies in music und ...

(1881–1954, Armenia) * Francesco Aliani (1762–1812, Italy) * Karl Andersen (1903–1970, Norway, also a composer) *

Olivier Aubert Pierre François Olivier Aubert (1763 – c.1830) was a French cellist, guitarist and composer. He mostly abbreviated his name as "P. F. Olivier Aubert". Biography Aubert was born in Amiens. After having received initial musical training in h ...

(1763–c.1830, France, also a composer)

B

* Felix Battanchon (1814–1893, France) *

Paul Bazelaire Paul Bazelaire (4 March 1886 – 11 December 1958) was a French cellist and composer. Bazelaire was born in Sedan, Ardennes. He studied under Jules Delsart Jules Delsart (24 November 1844 – 3 July 1900)MacGregor, "Jules Delsart"Grove Music ...

(1886–1958, France) *

Hugo Becker Hugo Becker (born Jean Otto Eric Hugo Becker, 13 February 1863, died 30 July 1941) was a prominent German cellist, cello teacher, and composer. He studied at a young age with Alfredo Piatti, and later Friedrich Grützmacher in Dresden. Biograp ...

(1863–1941, Germany) *

Auguste van Biene Auguste van Biene (16 May 1849 – 23 January 1913) was a Dutch composer, cellist and actor. He became best known for his composition ''The Broken Melody'', performed by the composer as part of a musical play of the same name. Van Biene gre ...

(1849–1913, Netherlands, moved to England) *

Luigi Boccherini Ridolfo Luigi Boccherini (, also , ; 19 February 1743 – 28 May 1805) was an Italian composer and cellist of the Classical era whose music retained a courtly and ''galante'' style even while he matured somewhat apart from the major Europea ...

(1743–1805), Italy, primarily a composer) *

Karl Leopold Böhm Karl Leopold Böhm (also Carl Leopold Böhm, Leopold Karl Böhm; 4 November 1806 – 2 October 1859) was an Austrian cellist. Life Böhm was born in Vienna, son of a businessman, and he was intended to follow in the business. Showing musical abilit ...

(1806–1859, Austria) *

Gaetano Braga Gaetano Braga (June 9, 1829 – November 21, 1907) was an Italian composer and cellist. He was born in Giulianova in Abruzzi and died in Milan. Braga's works include compositions for the cello (two concertos, a quintet, a quartet, works fo ...

(1829–1907, Italy, also a composer) *

Jean-Baptiste Bréval Jean-Baptiste Sebastien Bréval (6 November 1753 – 18 March 1823) was a French Cello, cellist and composer. He wrote mostly for his own instrument, including pedagogical works as well as virtuoso display pieces. Life Bréval was born in Pa ...

(1753–1823, France) *

Christopher Bunting Christopher Evelyn Bunting (8 August 1924 – 28 July 2005) was an English cellist. He had an international reputation, and was a highly regarded teacher; he gave first performances of notable cello concertos. Life Bunting was born in London in ...

(1924–2005, England) *

Friedrich Buxbaum Friedrich Siegfried Buxbaum (23 September 1869, Vienna 2 October 1948, London) was an Austrian cellist and long-serving member (and principal cello) of the Vienna Philharmonic and Vienna State Opera, and member of the Rosé Quartet. His Jewish fa ...

(1869–1948, Austria) *

Anner Bylsma Anner Bylsma (born Anne Bijlsma, 17 February 1934 – 25 July 2019) was a Dutch cellist who played on both modern and period instruments in a historically informed style. He took an interest in music from an early age. He studied with Carel van ...

(1934–2019, Netherlands, baroque cello)

C

Pau Casals Pau Casals i Defilló (Catalan: ; 29 December 187622 October 1973), usually known in English by his Castilian Spanish name Pablo Casals,

(1876–1973, Spain, also a composer and conductor) *

Juan Ruiz Casaux Juan Antonio Ruiz-Casaux y Lopez de Carvajal, V. marqués de Atalaya Bermeja, usually known as Juan Ruiz Casaux (23 December 188916 January 1972) was a noted Spanish cellist and teacher. Along with Pablo Casals and Gaspar Cassadó, he was a membe ...

(1889–1972, Spain) *

Gaspar Cassadó Gaspar Cassadó i Moreu (30 September or 5 October 1897 – 24 December 1966) was a Spanish cellist and composer of the early 20th century. He was born in Barcelona to a church musician father, Joaquim Cassadó, and began taking cello lesson ...

(1897–1966, Spain, also a composer) *

Giacobbe Cervetto Giacobbe Basevi, known as Giacobbe Cervetto (1680 – 14 January 1783)Speare, Marija Đurić (2001)"Cervetto, Giacobbe Basevi" ''New Grove Dictionary of Musicians''. Retrieved 11 September 2018 (subscription required for full access). was an Anglo- ...

(died 1783, Italy, moved to England) *

James Cervetto James Cervetto (8 January 1748 – 5 February 1837) was an English cellist, playing in aristocratic venues and in important concerts of the day. He was the soloist for the premiere of Haydn’s second cello concerto. Life Cervetto was born in Lo ...

(1748–1837, UK) * Mabel Chaplin (1870–1960, UK, member of the Chaplin Trio; also played viola ga gamba) *

Giovanni Battista Cirri Giovanni Battista Cirri (1 October 1724 – 11 June 1808) was an Italian cellist and composer in the 18th century. Biography Cirri was born in Forlì in the Emilia-Romagna Region of Italy. He had his first musical training with his brother Ig ...

(1724–1808, Italy, also a composer) *

Jennifer Ward Clarke Jennifer Ward Clarke (20 June 1935 – 1 March 2015) was a British cellist. After an early career in contemporary music, she later specialised in baroque music and performances on period instruments. Early life and career Jennifer Ward Clarke w ...

(1935–2015, UK) *

Orlando Cole Orlando Cole (August 16, 1908 – January 25, 2010) was an American cello teacher who taught two generations of soloists, chamber musicians, and first cellists in a dozen leading orchestras, including Lynn Harrell, Jonah Kim, Ronald Leonard, ...

(1908–2010, United States) * Nelson Cooke (1919–2018, Australia, career partly in UK) *

Bernhard Cossmann Bernhard Cossmann (17 May 1822 – 7 May 1910) was a German cellist. Born in Dessau, he first studied under Theodore Muller. During his life, he worked for the Grand Opera in Paris and became acquainted with Franz Liszt, with whom he went to Weim ...

(1822–1910, Germany) *

John Crosdill John Crosdill (1751–1825) was an English musician, cellist and violist. Biography Crosdill was born in London, England and was the son of violoncellist Richard Crosdill (1698–1790) with whom he is sometimes confused. John Crosdill, along w ...

(1751–1825, UK) * Douglas Cummings (1944–2014, UK)

D

Karl Davydov Karl Yulievich Davydov (russian: Карл Юльевич Давидов; ) was a Russian cellist of great renown during his time, and described by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky as the "czar of cellists". He was also a composer, mainly for the cello. Hi ...

(1838–1889, Russia) *

Jules Delsart Jules Delsart (24 November 1844 – 3 July 1900)MacGregor, "Jules Delsart"Grove Music Online (Subscription Access)/ref> was a 19th-century French cellist and teacher. He is best known for his arrangement for cello and piano of César Franck's V ...

(1844–1900, France) *

Jean Deplace Jean Lucien Deplace (12 July 1944 – 30 November 2015) was a French cello, cellist. Many well-known cellists studied with Deplace. Deplace studied with Maurice Maréchal and won first prize for cello in 1963 at the Paris Conservatory. Deplace ...

(1944–2015, France) *

Friedrich Dotzauer Justus Johann Friedrich Dotzauer (20 January 1783 – 6 March 1860) was a German cellist and composer. Life Early life and career Dotzauer was born in 1783 in , near Hildburghausen. His father, a pastor, encouraged his interest in music. I ...

(1783–1860, Germany) *

Karl Drechsler Karl Drechsler (27 June 1800 – 1 December 1873) was a German cellist and teacher. Life Drechsler was born in Kamenz, and in 1820 he joined the court chapel in Dessau. He went in 1824 to study with Friedrich Dotzauer in Dresden, and returning to ...

(1800–1873, Germany) *

Jean-Louis Duport Jean-Louis Duport (4 October 17497 September 1819), sometimes known as Duport the Younger to distinguish him from his older brother (and teacher) Jean-Pierre (1741-1818), was a cellist, pedagogue, and composer. He is perhaps best known today fo ...

(1749–1819, France, brother of Jean-Pierre Duport) *

Jean-Pierre Duport Jean-Pierre Duport (27 November 1741 – 31 December 1818) was a cellist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Along with his brother, Jean-Louis Duport (also a cellist), he was active in the musical life of France and Germany. Jean-Pierre w ...

(1741–1818, France, brother of Jean-Louis Duport) *

Jacqueline du Pré Jacqueline Mary du Pré (26 January 1945 – 19 October 1987) was a British cellist. At a young age, she achieved enduring mainstream popularity. Despite her short career, she is regarded as one of the greatest cellists of all time. Her care ...

(1945–1987, England)

E

Maurice Eisenberg Maurice Eisenberg (February 24, 1900 - December 13, 1972) was a cellist, both performer and teacher. Biography Born in Königsberg in a family of a cantor, he was brought to the United States when he was two years old as his parents moved there ...

(1900–1972, United States)

F

Emanuel Feuermann Emanuel Feuermann (November 22, 1902 – May 25, 1942) was an internationally celebrated cellist in the first half of the 20th century. Life Feuermann was born in 1902 in Kolomyja, Galicia, Austro-Hungarian Empire (now Kolomyia, Ukraine) to ...

(1902–1942, born in Ukraine, died in the United States) *

Rocco Filippini Rocco Filippini (7 September 1943 – 13 April 2021) was a Swiss classical cellist. Biography and musical career The son of Felice Filippini, a painter, writer and broadcaster, and Dafne Salati, a pianist, Rocco Filippini began his musical ...

(1943–2021, Switzerland) *

Wilhelm Fitzenhagen Wilhelm Karl Friedrich Fitzenhagen (15 September 1848 – 14 February 1890) was a German cellist, composer and teacher, best known today as the dedicatee of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's '' Variations on a Rococo Theme''. Life Fitzenhagen was born ...

(1848–1890, Germany) *

Pierre Fournier Pierre Léon Marie Fournier (24 June 19068 January 1986) was a French cellist who was called the "aristocrat of cellists" on account of his elegant musicianship and majestic sound. Biography He was born in Paris, the son of a French Army gen ...

(1906–1986, France) *

Auguste Franchomme Auguste-Joseph Franchomme (10 April 180821 January 1884) was a French cellist and composer. For his contributions to music, he was decorated with the Légion d'honneur in 1884. Life and career Born in Lille, Franchomme studied at the local conse ...

(1808–1884, France) * Jacques Franco-Mendès (1816–1889, Netherlands)

G

Domenico Gabrielli Domenico Gabrielli (15 April 1651 or 19 October 1659 – 10 July 1690) was an Italian Baroque composer and one of the earliest known virtuoso cello players, as well as a pioneer of cello music writing. Born in Bologna, he worked in the orchestra of ...

(d.1690, Italy) *

Raya Garbousova Raya Garbousova (russian: Ра́я Га́рбузова; September 25, 1909Alternative dates appear in the literature. The ''New Grove'' has September 25, 1906, and ''Baker's Dictionary'' has October 10, 1905. Raya Garbousova herself claimed to ...

(1909–1997, born in Georgia, Russian Empire) *

Maurice Gendron Maurice Gendron (26 December 1920, near Nice20 August 1990, Grez-sur-Loing) was a French cellist, conductor and teacher. He is widely considered one of the greatest cellists of the 20th century. He was an Officer of the Legion of Honor and a recip ...

(1920–1990, France) * Gwyneth George (1920–2016, UK) *

Georg Goltermann :''Georg Eduard Goltermann should not be confused with Julius Goltermann (1825–1876), the cello teacher of David Popper.'' Georg Eduard Goltermann (19 August 1824 – 29 December 1898) was a German cellist, composer and conductor. Life Golter ...

(1825–1876, Germany, also a composer) * Bernard Greenhouse (1916–2011, United States, founding member of the

Beaux Arts Trio The Beaux Arts Trio was a noted piano trio, celebrated for their vivacity, emotional depth and wide-ranging repertoire. They made their debut on 13 July 1955, at the Berkshire Music Festival, Lenox, Massachusetts, United States, known today as the ...

) *

Friedrich Grützmacher Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Grützmacher (1 March 1832 – 23 February 1903) was a noted German cellist and composer in the second half of the 19th century. He composed mostly for cello (including several concertos and many technical studies), but a ...

(1832–1903, Germany)

H

Lynn Harrell Lynn Harrell (January 30, 1944 – April 27, 2020) was an American classical cellist. Known for the "penetrating richness" of his sound, Harrell performed internationally as a recitalist, chamber musician, and soloist with major orchestras o ...

(1944–2020, United States) * Beatrice Harrison (1892–1965, England) *

Robert Hausmann Robert Hausmann (13 August 185218 January 1909) was a notable 19th-century German cellist who premiered important works by Johannes Brahms (including the Double Concerto) and Max Bruch (including ''Kol Nidrei''). He was the cellist for the Joach ...

(1852–1909, Germany) *

Victor Herbert Victor August Herbert (February 1, 1859 – May 26, 1924) was an American composer, cellist and conductor of English and Irish ancestry and German training. Although Herbert enjoyed important careers as a cello soloist and conductor, he is be ...

(1859–1924, Ireland, primarily remembered as a composer, also a conductor) * Florence Hooton (1912-1988, England) * Kato van der Hoeven (1877 –1959, Netherlands)

I

Alexander Ivashkin Alexander Ivashkin (russian: link=no, Александр Васильевич Ивашкин), (17 August 1948 – 31 January 2014) was a Russian cellist, writer, academic and conductor. Ivashkin studied at the Gnessin Institute, where his teache ...

(1948–2014, Russian)

J

* Antonio Janigro (1918–1989, Italy) *

Ivor James Ivor James CBE (1882–1963) Percy A. Scholes. "James, Ivor". ''Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music''. Oxford University Press, 1964. was a British cellist. He taught for many years at the Royal College of Music; among his pupils were those who bec ...

(1882–1963, British) * Nicasio Jiménez (1849–1891, Cuba) *

Vivian Joseph Vivian Joseph (born March 7, 1948) is an American former pair skater who competed with her brother, Ronald Joseph. They are the 1964 Olympic bronze medalists, 1965 World silver medalists, and 1965 North American champions. Personal life Viv ...

(1916-2005, British)

K

* John Kennedy (1922–1980, born in England, moved to Australia) * Lauri Kennedy (1896–1985, born in Australia) *

Julius Klengel Julius Klengel (24 September 1859 – 27 October 1933) was a German cellist who is most famous for his études and solo pieces written for the instrument. He was the brother of Paul Klengel. A member of the Gewandhaus Orchestra of Leipzig at f ...

(1859–1933, Germany) *

Sviatoslav Knushevitsky Sviatoslav Nikolayevich Knushevitsky (also seen as Knushevitzky; 19 February 1963) was a Soviet-Russian classical cellist. He was particularly noted for his partnership with the violinist David Oistrakh and the pianist Lev Oborin in a renowned p ...

(1907–1963, Russia) * Antonín Kohout (1919–2013, Czech) * Otto van Koppenhagen (1897–1978, Netherlands) *

Antonín Kraft image:AntonKraft.jpg, Antonín Kraft Antonín Kraft (30 December 1749, Rokycany – 28 August 1820, Vienna) was a Czech people, Czech cello, cellist and composer. He was a close friend of Joseph Haydn, Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Mozart, and Lu ...

(1752–1820, Czech)

L

* Salvatore Lanzetti (1710–1780, Italian) * Robert Lindley (1776–1855, British) *

Joseph Linke Joseph Linke (also spelled Joseph Lincke, Josef Linke; 8 June 1783 – 26 March 1837) was a cellist and composer who had a distinguished career in Vienna, as a soloist and as a member of the Schuppanzigh Quartet. He took part in the first performan ...

(1783–1837, Austria) *

Martin Lovett Martin Lovett (3 March 1927 – 29 April 2020) was an English cellist, best known for his work for 40 years with the Amadeus Quartet, one of the leading string quartets at the time. Life and career Lovett was born in Stoke Newington (nor ...

(1927–2020, England)

M

Fritz Magg Fritz Magg (April 18, 1914 – July 20, 1997) was a renowned Austrian-American cellist, known for his career spanning over six decades as a soloist, symphony and chamber ensemble performer, and educator. Biography Magg was born in Vienna to Pa ...

(1914–1997, born in Vienna, moved to the United States) *

Enrico Mainardi Enrico Mainardi (19 May 1897, in Milan – 10 April 1976, in Munich) was an Italian cellist, composer, and conductor. At the age of thirteen, in 1910, Mainardi had already begun his career as a cello virtuoso who toured the concert halls of Europ ...

(1897-1976, Italy) *

Rudolf Matz Rudolf Matz (19 September 1901 – 22 March 1988) was a Croatian composer who wrote about 500 instrumental and vocal compositions. Matz lived in the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia. He was born in Zagreb, 1901 and di ...

(1901–1988, Croatia) *

Joseph Merk Joseph Merk (18 January 179516 July 1852) was a noted Austrian cellist, often described as one of the most influential of the first half of the 19th century. He also wrote a number of compositions for the cello. Career Joseph (or Josef) Merk was ...

(1795–1852, Austria) *

Frank Miller Frank Miller (born January 27, 1957) is an American comic book writer, penciller and inker, novelist, screenwriter, film director, and producer known for his comic book stories and graphic novels such as his run on ''Daredevil'' and subsequen ...

(1912–1986, United States) *

Georges Miquelle Georges Miquelle (1894 – 1977) was born in Lille, France. He was a classical cellist in France and the United States. Biography He began his studies at the age of five when he entered the Conservatoire de Lille, Lille Conservatoire. At seven, ...

(1894–1977, born in France, moved to the United States) *

Víctor Mirecki Larramat Víctor Alexander Marie Mirecki Larramat (21 July 18477 April 1921) was a Spanish cellist and music teacher of Franco-Polish origin. He was born in Tarbes, France and died in Madrid, Spain. Introduction Víctor Mirecki was one of the most versat ...

(1947–1921, born in France, lived in Spain) * Lorne Munroe (1924–2020, United States) *

Charlotte Moorman Madeline Charlotte Moorman (November 18, 1933 – November 8, 1991) was an American cellist, performance artist, and advocate for avant-garde music. Referred to as the "Jeanne d'Arc of new music", she was the founder of the Annual Avant Garde Fes ...

(1933–1991, United States, performance art) *

May Mukle May Henrietta Mukle FRAM (14 May 1880 – 20 February 1963) was a British cellist and composer. She has been described as a "noted feminist cellist", who encouraged other women cellists. Early life Mukle was born in London, the daughter of Leo ...

(1880–1963, British)

N

André Navarra André-Nicolas Navarra (Biarritz, 13 October 1911 – Siena, 31 July 1988) was a French cellist and cello teacher. Early life He was born into a musical family in Biarritz, his father being a bassist of Italian descent."'Play From The Stomach, ...

(1911–1988, France) *

Zara Nelsova Zara Nelsova (December 23, 1918October 10, 2002) was a prominent cellist. Biography Nelsova was born as Sara Katznelson in Winnipeg, Canada, to parents of Jewish-Russian descent. Nelsova first performed at the age of five in Winnipeg. She eventu ...

(1918–2002, Canada)

O

Jacques Offenbach Jacques Offenbach (, also , , ; 20 June 18195 October 1880) was a German-born French composer, cellist and impresario of the Romantic period. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s to the 1870s, and his uncompleted opera '' ...

(1819–1880, born in Germany, lived in France)

P

Siegfried Palm Siegfried Palm (25 April 1927 – 6 June 2005) was a German cellist who is known worldwide for his interpretations of contemporary music. Many 20th-century composers like Kagel, Ligeti, Xenakis, Penderecki and Zimmermann wrote music for ...

(1927–2005, Germany) *

Aldo Parisot Aldo Simoes Parisot (September 30, 1918 – December 29, 2018) was a Brazilian-born American cellist and cello teacher. He was first a member of the Juilliard School faculty, and then went on to serve as a music professor at the Yale School of M ...

(1918–2018, Brazil, United States) *

Leslie Parnas Leslie Parnas (November 11, 1931 – February 1, 2022) was an American classical cellist. A prize winner at several international music competitions, he appeared as a soloist with orchestras around the world and performed and recorded a number of ...

(1931–2022, United States) *

Boris Pergamenschikow Boris Mironowitsch Pergamenschikow, , (29 August 1948 in Leningrad – 30 April 2004 in Berlin), was a Russian-born cellist. His father was also a cellist, and gave his son his first lessons. In 1974, Boris Pergamenschikow won a gold medal at t ...

(1948–2004, born in Soviet Union, moved to Germany) *

Gregor Piatigorsky Gregor Piatigorsky (, ''Grigoriy Pavlovich Pyatigorskiy''; August 6, 1976) was a Russian Empire-born American cellist. Biography Early life Gregor Piatigorsky was born in Ekaterinoslav (now Dnipro, Ukraine) into a Jewish family. As a child, ...

(1903–1976, born in Russia, moved to United States) * Alfredo Piatti (1822–1901, Italy) *

(1916–1999, England, teacher of

) *

Dominik Połoński Dominik Połoński (17 June 1977 – 20 June 2018) was a Polish concert cellist. He continued his career using his right arm, after treatment for a brain tumour. Life Połoński was born in Kraków, and studied at the Academy of Music in Łódź ...

(1977–2018, Poland) *

David Popper David Popper (June 16, 1843 – August 7, 1913) was a Bohemian cellist and composer. Some other sources list his date of birth as December 9, 1843. Life Popper was born in Prague, and studied music at the Prague Conservatory. His family was J ...

(1843–1913, Bohemian born, active in Hungary)

R

* Gábor Rejtő (1916–1987, Hungary) *

Bernhard Romberg Bernhard Heinrich Romberg (November 13, 1767 – August 13, 1841) was a German cellist and composer. Life Romberg was born in Dinklage. His father, Anton Romberg, played the bassoon and cello and gave Bernhard his first cello lessons. He f ...

(1767–1841, Germany, also a composer) *

Leonard Rose Leonard Joseph Rose (July 27, 1918 – November 16, 1984) was an American cellist and pedagogue. Biography Rose was born in Washington, D.C.; his parents were Jewish immigrants, his father from Bragin, Belarus, and his mother from Kyiv, ...

(1918–1984, United States) *

Mstislav Rostropovich Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich, (27 March 192727 April 2007) was a Russian cellist and conductor. He is considered by many to be the greatest cellist of the 20th century. In addition to his interpretations and technique, he was wel ...

(1927–2007, Russia, also a conductor)

S

* Karel Pravoslav Sádlo (1898–1971, Czech) *

Miloš Sádlo Miloš Sádlo (13 April 1912 – 14 October 2003), a Czech cellist, was born in Prague, Czech Republic. Life Born Miloš Bláha, later Miloš Zátvrzský after his step-father. He started his musical education by playing violin when he was 8 years ...

(1912–2003, Czech) *

Felix Salmond Felix Adrian Norman Salmond (19 November 188820 February 1952) was an English cellist and cello teacher who achieved success in the UK and the US. Early life and career Salmond was born to a family of professional musicians. His father Norman Sa ...

(1880–1952, England) *

Heinrich Schiff Heinrich Schiff (18 November 1951 – 23 December 2016) was an Austrian cellist and conductor. Early life Heinrich Schiff was born on 18 November 1951 in Gmunden, Austria. His parents, Helga (née Riemann) and Helmut Schiff, were composers. He ...

(1951–2016, Austria) * Franz Schmidt (1874–1939, Austria, also a pianist and a composer) *

Georg Schnéevoigt Georg Lennart Schnéevoigt (8 November 1872 – 28 November 1947) was a Finnish conductor and cellist, born in Vyborg, Grand Duchy of Finland, which is now in Russia, to Ernst Schnéevoigt and Rosa Willandt. Career Schnéevoigt began his c ...

(1872–1947, Finnish, also a conductor) *

Eleonore Schoenfeld Eleonore Schoenfeld (March 6, 1925 – January 1, 2007) was an American musician, considered one of the most influential cellists of the 20th century. Biography Born in Maribor, Slovenia to a Polish father and a Russian mother, Schoenfeld m ...

(1925–2007, born in Slovenia, died in the United States) *

Joseph Schuster Joseph Schuster may refer to: * Joseph Schuster (cellist) (1903–1969), Constantinople-born American cellist * Joseph Schuster (composer) (1748–1812), German classical composer * Joe Shuster (1914–1992), Canadian-born comic book writer who cre ...

(1903–1969, born in Turkey, died in the United States) * Adrien François Servais (1807–1866, Belgium) *

Daniil Shafran Daniil Borisovich Shafran (russian: Даниил Борисович Шафран, January 13, 1923February 7, 1997) was a Soviet Russian cellist. Biography Early years Daniil Shafran was born in Petrograd (later Leningrad, then Saint Petersburg ...

(1923–1997, Russian) *

Natalia Shakhovskaya Natalia Shakhovskaya (September 27, 1935 – May 20, 2017), PAU, was a Soviet and Russian cellist.Harvey Shapiro (1911–2007, American) *

Anna Shuttleworth Anna Shuttleworth (2 May 1927 – 2 March 2021Anna Shuttleworth (2n ...

(1927–2021, England) * František Sláma (1923–2004, Czech) * Benyamin Sönmez (1983–2011, Turkey) *

George Sopkin George Sopkin (April 3, 1914 – October 28, 2008) was an American cellist who was a founding member of the Fine Arts Quartet and faculty member at Kneisel Hall School of Chamber Music in Blue Hill, Maine. Born and raised in Chicago, Sopkin was a ...

(1914–2008, United States) *

David Soyer David Soyer (February 24, 1923February 25, 2010) was an American cellist. He was born in Philadelphia and began playing the piano at the age of nine. At 11, he started the cello. One of his first teachers was Diran Alexanian. Later on he studi ...

(1923–2010, United States) *

William Henry Squire William Henry Squire, ARCM (8 August 1871 – 17 March 1963) was a British cellist, composer and music professor of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He studied cello at the Royal College of Music, and became professor of cello at the Roya ...

(1871–1963, England) *

János Starker János Starker (; ; July 5, 1924 – April 28, 2013) was a Hungarian-American cellist. From 1958 until his death, he taught at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he held the title of Distinguished Professor. Starker is consider ...

(1924–2013, born in Hungary, died in the United States) *

Leo Stern Leo Stern (5 April 186210 September 1904) was an English cellist, best remembered for being the soloist in the premiere performance of Antonín Dvořák's Cello Concerto in B minor in London in 1896. Biography Leopold Lawrence Stern was born ...

(1862–1904, England) *

Guilhermina Suggia Guilhermina Augusta Xavier de Medim Suggia Carteado Mena, known as Guilhermina Suggia, (27 June 1885 – 30 July 1950) was a Portuguese cellist. She studied in Paris, France with Pablo Casals, and built an international reputation. She spent man ...

(1885–1950, Portugal)

T

Paul Tortelier Paul Tortelier (21 March 1914 – 18 December 1990) was a French cellist and composer. After an outstanding student career at the Conservatoire de Paris he played in orchestras in France and the US before the Second World War. After the war he b ...

(1914–1990, France) * Anton Träg (1819–1860, Austria)

V

* Laszlo Varga (1924–2014, Hungary) *

Aleksandr Verzhbilovich Aleksandr Valerianovich Verzhbilovich (russian: Александр Валерианович Вержбилович; ) was a Russian classical cellist of Polish descent. His name also appears as Verzhbilovic, Verzhibilovic, Vierzbilovich, Wierzbi ...

(1850–1911, Russia) * J. Louis von der Mehden (1873–1954, United States)

W

Terence Weil Terence Weil (9 December 1921 in London – 25 February 1995 in Figueras) was a British cellist, principal cellist of the English Chamber Orchestra, a founding member of the Melos Ensemble, a leading chamber musician and an influential teache ...

(1921–1995, England) *

August Wenzinger August Wenzinger (1905–1996) was a prominent cellist, viol player, conductor, teacher, and music scholar from Basel, Switzerland. He was a pioneer of historically informed performance, both as a master of the viola da gamba and as a conductor of ...

(1905–1996, Switzerland) * Donald Whitton (1923–2018, Canada)

Deceased non-classical cellists

A

Muhal Richard Abrams Muhal Richard Abrams (born Richard Lewis Abrams; September 19, 1930 – October 29, 2017) was an American educator, administrator, composer, arranger, clarinetist, cellist, and jazz pianist in the free jazz medium. He recorded and toured the Uni ...

(1930-2017), United States, jazz, also a composer and multi-instrumentalist)

B

* David Baker (1931–2016, United States, jazz composer and performer)

C

Tom Cora Thomas Henry Corra (September 14, 1953 – April 9, 1998), better known as Tom Cora, was an American cellist and composer, best known for his improvisational performances in the field of experimental jazz and rock. He recorded with John Zorn, ...

(1953–1998, United States, experimental jazz and rock)

E

* Mike Edwards (1948–2010, England, member of the

Electric Light Orchestra The Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1970 by songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood with drummer Bev Bevan. Their music is characterised by a fusion of pop, classical a ...

)

K

* Fred Katz (1919–2013, United States, described as "the first real jazz cellist"){{cite book, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4qAJAQAAMAAJ&q=%22fred+katz%22+cellist , title=Coda magazine, via=books.google.com , date=2010-05-27 , accessdate=2011-10-05

M

Hugh McDowell Hugh Alexander McDowell (31 July 1953 – 6 November 2018)ELO and ...

(1953–2018, England, cellist with rock bands

and

ELO Part II ELO Part II were a band formed by Electric Light Orchestra drummer and co-founder Bev Bevan. The band also included former ELO bassist and vocalist Kelly Groucutt, and violinist Mik Kaminski for most of its career, along with conductor Louis ...

)

P

Oscar Pettiford Oscar Pettiford (September 30, 1922 – September 8, 1960) was an American jazz double bassist, cellist and composer. He was one of the earliest musicians to work in the bebop idiom. Biography Pettiford was born in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, United ...

(1922–1960, United States, bebop) *

Kristen Pfaff Kristen Marie Pfaff (née Parco; May 26, 1967 – June 16, 1994) was an American musician, best known as the bassist for alternative rock band Hole from 1993 to 1994. Prior to Hole, Pfaff was the bassist and backing vocalist for Minneapolis-base ...

(1967–1994, United States, alternative rock)

R

* Arthur Russell (1951–1992, United States, eclectic genres)

References

Cellists A person who plays the cello is called a cellist. This list of notable cellists is divided into four categories: 1) Living Classical Cellists; 2) Non-Classical Cellists; 3) Deceased Classical Cellists; 4) Deceased Non-Classical Cellists. The ce ...