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    The Cello Museum > Articles > Articles > Celebrate International Cello Day

Celebrate International Cello Day

29 December 2023
It’s that time again – the biggest cello holiday of the year: International Cello Day. How will you celebrate?

The Legacy of Casals

While every day is “Cello Day” for many of us, cellists also have an official day to celebrate: 29 December.

Why this day? It is the birthday of the great Pau Casals (29 December 1876 – 22 October 1973). With a musical career spanning nearly a century, Casals was one of the most influential cellists of all time. This year was a big year to celebrate his life given that it marked the 50th anniversary of his death. However, I’ve always preferred to celebrate a cellist’s birth, rather than death day. Even so—we love celebrating the musical legacy of this great cellist on any occasion.

Read the 7 Ways the Legacy of Casals Lives on Today.

The Song of the Birds (El cant dels ocells)

The traditional Catalan lullaby and Christmas song, “The Song of the Birds” (“El cant dels ocells”), is often associated with Casals. Sometimes Casals is even cited as its composer, which is not the case. However, Casals is responsible for making this beautiful song famous outside Catalonia, because he often performed it on the cello.

Want to perform “The Song of the Birds” on the cello? There are many versions available. In addition, Erica Lessie gives us information about three pieces inspired by Casals and/or his setting of “El cant dels ocells” (“The Song of the Birds”), by women composers. Read her digital postcards on these pieces.

Winner of Our Photo Contest

International Cello Day Photo Contest Winner Jennifer Kloetzel and Runner-up Valerie Aimard

In September, we invited members of our Cello Museum Family to share photos with us. Today we did a prize drawing of the valid entries, and our winner is cellist Jennifer Kloetzel of California! She’s wearing one of our lightweight Cello Museum hoodies in this photo. Congratulations, Jennifer, you will receive a $50 gift card to our online museum shop.

We also have a runner-up: Valérie Aimard of Paris. She is wearing one of our Bach Suite Life T-shirts, which is particularly appropriate as she’s recently released a two-CD album of the complete Bach suites. Congratulations, Valérie, you will receive a $25 gift card for our online museum shop.

International Cello Day T-Shirts – and More!

International Cello Day 2023 T-shirt

Want to mark this occasion with a celebratory T-shirt, mug, or sticker? Order yours today. They’ll only be available through 16 January.

How are you celebrating?

Contact us and let us know. We may share your story in our weekly newsletter.

Please note that some links in this review are affiliate links. For full details, please see our footer below.

Author

Curator, Brenda Neece Author

Cello Museum founder and curator, Dr. Brenda Neece is a cellist and a researcher specializing in the history of the cello. Before starting The Cello Museum in 2019, she worked as a freelancer and served for just over a decade as a musical instrument museum curator. Her major cello teachers were Rochelle Kidd, Fred Raimi, Martha Gerschefski, and William Pleeth. Her academic mentors were Jon Finson, Marilyn Gombosi, Hélène La Rue, Ferdinand J. de Hen, and Jeremy Montagu.