Cleveland Orchestra Archives

CelloChat: Mark Kosower – Cello in the Symphony Orchestra

A modern player with a “signature sound” and distinctive style of playing, cellist Mark Kosower embodies the concept of the complete musician performing as concerto soloist with symphony orchestras, in solo recitals, and as a much admired and sought-after chamber musician. He is Principal Cello of The Cleveland Orchestra and a scholar and teacher of cello. Mark’s performance repertoire and discography are testaments to a deep devotion, not only to frequently heard repertoire such as Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations and concertos of Haydn, Walton, Elgar and Dvořák but, significantly, to less well-known concertos of Alberto Ginastera, Miklos Rozsa, Frederich Gulda and Victor Herbert.

By CelloBello Webmaster|2023-10-09T06:46:58-04:00October 9th, 2023|Categories: Virtual Events, CelloChats|Tags: Principal Cellist, Cleveland Orchestra|

A CelloBello Celebration in Cleveland

A Documentary Premiere: "Notes From Behind the Iron Curtain: Cleveland Quartet’s 1990 Soviet Tour” and Live Performances from The Weilerstein Trio & Cleveland Orchestra Cellists

By CelloBello Webmaster|2023-11-24T03:38:36-05:00October 2nd, 2023|Categories: Fundraising, Live Events|Tags: Cleveland Orchestra, Mark Kosower, The Weilerstein Trio, Richard Weiss, Charles Bernard, Bryan Dumm, Cleveland Quartet|

CelloChat: Michael Haber – It Isn’t a Trombone…

Cellist Michael Haber is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Brandeis University and did graduate work at Harvard and Indiana University. His cello teachers were Janos Starker, Mihaly Virizlay and Gregor Piatigorsky. He is a former member of The Cleveland Orchestra under George Szell, the Casals Festival Orchestra under Pablo Casals and was the principal cellist of the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra. As cellist of the Composers Quartet, in residence at Columbia University, he toured and recorded internationally, as he did with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. For more than 20 years, he was the cellist of The Gabrielli Trio.

By CelloBello Webmaster|2023-09-15T02:18:02-04:00September 8th, 2023|Categories: CelloChats, Virtual Events|Tags: Cleveland Orchestra|

CelloChat: Michael Haber – My Musical Lineage 1860-2022: From Russia to America

By CelloBello Webmaster|2022-09-08T06:55:25-04:00September 8th, 2022|Categories: CelloChats, Virtual Events|Tags: Cleveland Orchestra, Lineage|

Leonard Rose Remembered (January, 2004)

by Tim Janof Leonard Rose was one of the greatest cellists of all time. Many of the recordings he made in the prime of his career continue to be viewed as the ultimate model of gorgeous cello playing. His greatest recordings have a timeless, unmannered quality that sound as fresh today as they did when they were first released. He also had tremendous success as a teacher. His former students are now leading cellists around the world, and include principal and section cellists in professional orchestras, highly regarded pedagogues, and revered soloists. Leonard Rose was a cellist's cellist, who excelled in every aspect of cello playing -- teacher, soloist, orchestral cellist, and chamber musician. While researching for this article, I had the tremendous fortune of finding Barbara Rose-Schirota, who is [...]

By Tim Janof|2024-07-05T20:20:36-04:00December 15th, 2021|Categories: Historical, Artists, Internet Cello Society Archive, Performance, Repertoire, Teaching|Tags: Cleveland Orchestra, Yo-Yo Ma, Internet Cello Society Archive, Felix Salmond, Sergei Rachmaninoff', New York Philharmonic, Leonard Rose, Glenn Gould, ICS, Frank Miller, Fritz Reiner, NBC Orchestra, Heifetz, Lynn Harrell|

What if We All Did That? — by Martha Baldwin

OK, not to blog-rant (is that a thing?) but I’m often surprised by basic behaviors I see in music students (and professionals) and it reminds me of a saying we have in our cello section: “What if we all did that?” Here are my top 3: 1. STAY!!!!!! seriously, just stay to the end people. I realize that many student recitals seem endless but leaving as soon as you’re done playing is, simply put, rude. I’ve seen entire rows of extended family get up and leave noisily after the first performer (their kid) is finished and I’m shocked. Really? No one else matters? Your child is so special that this entire recital is there just for his/her 4 minutes of glory? People notice these things. As a side benefit - [...]

By Martha Baldwin|2021-05-03T15:44:33-04:00March 9th, 2015|Categories: Artistic Vision, Auditions, Chamber Music, Competition, Orchestra, Performance, Playing Healthy|Tags: CelloBlog, Martha Baldwin, restless, cellobello, effort, Cleveland Orchestra|

The Swan — by Arnold Steinhardt

When I was eleven years old, my violin teacher assigned me The Swan by Camille Saint-Saëns. I had no idea that The Swan was a famous cello solo or that it was part of a much larger work, “The Carnival of the Animals.” I had never even heard of its composer, Saint-Saëns, or seen his name in print before. I wondered why there was a funny line between his two-word last name and what could be the purpose of those strange dots perched on top. And was Saint-Saëns actually a saint? I thought that The Swan was very pretty and probably associated the music’s title with its general mood in some vague way. As a child, I often saw swans gliding regally through the water on the lake near where [...]

By Arnold Steinhardt|2017-09-22T04:04:13-04:00September 10th, 2013|Categories: Artistic Vision, Interpersonal Relationships, Performance, Self Discovery, Teaching|Tags: discussion, musical essence, Cleveland Institute of Music, violin master-class, music, difference, musicianship, permier music school, Cleveland Orchestra, work, beauty, double major, phrasing alterations, Boston Symphony Orchestra, intonation, essence, respect, piano, creativity, accompany, exceptions, melody, re-evaluate, phrase, assistant concertmaster, phrasing, extended melodies, arpeggios, rocking, artistry, Camille Saint-Saëns, improvement, fiddlers, string quartets, scientists, Beethoven, Carnival of the Animals, Hess, Boston, sections of music, bow, child, ideas, intimate, changes, swaying, vibrato, CIM, Jules Eskin, bow control, The Swan, cello, connections, singing, Mary, musicality, tone production, cellobello, depth|

Orchestra: A Love Story — by Martha Baldwin

Solo playing, chamber music, orchestra, teaching—I loved them all in college but at some point, we all must start to narrow our focus and work to establish a career that is dominated by one or two of these. I think the most often over-looked aspect of choosing what direction to take your musical talents (insert LeBron goes to Miami joke here), is thoughtful consideration of the daily life. Happiness in life and career is so often not determined by money or status but by how closely our lives conform to our personal ideals and individual quirks. Young cellists often ask me “Why did you choose to play in an orchestra?” This is my answer. I’m a planner. I am happiest with a stable structured day with a decent amount of routine [...]

By Martha Baldwin|2017-10-03T02:47:39-04:00January 27th, 2013|Categories: Orchestra, Self Discovery|Tags: family time, orchestra, status, chamber music, lifestyle, Travel, working full time, personal ideas, mom-friendly schedule, routine, money, challenges, Baldwin, musical talents, focus, happiness, inspiration, orchestral jobs, Martha, choices, Teaching, predictability, rehearsals, Cleveland Institute of Music, variety, short attention span, concert halls, Cleveland Orchestra, cello, social outlets, Touring, direction, cellobello, soloist, concerts, establish a career, stability, colleagues|