Happy 4th Birthday to the Cello Museum!

As we celebrate four fabulous, fun-filled years, we reflect on a period rich in musical exploration, educational growth, and community engagement. It’s hard to believe our website has been going for four years already as an online museum—the first of its kind. Please join us in celebrating by entering our prize giveaway below and reminiscing with me here.

Beginnings

Jeremy Montagu Dedication Painting by Brenda Scott.

It doesn’t seem that long ago. Just before the pandemic, I remember sitting with Jeremy Montagu at his home in Oxford. During our visit, the idea of creating a globally accessible cello museum came to me in a flash. Jeremy and I spent much of that afternoon discussing creating an online museum. He was one of my two doctoral supervisors, and as I left his house and walked down the Iffley Road, it felt as if it were my last and most productive tutorial with him. Read about how Jeremy and I had a wonderful exchange of ideas and plans that day.

Although there are other art galleries and museums online, the Cello Museum is the first of its kind: centered on one musical instrument and conceived from the start as completely online. The goal was—and is—to create an internet-based platform with cello exhibitions, articles, and news, and to make this accessible and free to everyone around the world who loves the cello.

The Year in Review

We had an eventful year! Here are a few highlights:

Ongoing Series

• Postcards from Erica: This series has continued to enrich our community’s understanding of diverse compositions, featuring unaccompanied cello works by Hispanic & Latino/Latina composers and Asian composers. Erica Lessie has guided us through a world of music that spans cultures and continents, providing valuable insights into each piece, tailored for novices to advanced performers.
• New York Women Composers Spotlight: We’ve had the pleasure of showcasing incredible talents through our collaboration with the New York Women Composers. This series has introduced our audience to a rich variety of pieces crafted by women composers, enhancing our repertoire and enriching our musical perspectives. Highlights from this year include works by Margarita Zelenaia, Judith Lang Zaimont, and Joelle Wallach, among others.

Interviews

Our interviews this year have provided deep dives into the lives and works of prominent figures in the cello world. Highlights include conversations with Dr. Yuriy Leonovich on the Servais Urtext Project and his ongoing research; a discussion with Parisian cellist Valérie Aimard about her new Bach album; an interview with cellist and master engraver Michele Galvagno; a special feature on Elijah de la Motte, a young cellist who rose to fame on America’s Got Talent, and a conversation with Janet Horvath about her powerful memoir and story of the transformative power of music.

Articles on Cellists and Cello Music

The cello is a common thread that runs through all of our lives. Each cellist we meet has something different to contribute. Here are a few of the articles we’ve featured that show different ways of interacting with and making a difference in the world through cello music. Here are some highlights from the past year:

• Riccardo Pes’s Lament for the Sycamore – In a moving tribute that crossed borders and faced natural adversities, Italian cellist-composer Riccardo Pes performed his composition “Lament for the Tree” at Sycamore Gap. This piece mourned a venerable tree senselessly cut down, with Pes braving transportation strikes and inclement weather to perform at the historic site, sharing his grief and reverence through music. This poignant event not only marked a moment of loss but also a profound connection to nature and history through the voice of the cello. Read more about this tribute.
• Bridging Connections through Ukrainian Cello Music – Marking the second anniversary of the war in Ukraine, Gill Tennant recounted her connections with Ukraine and offered her arrangements of Ukrainian folk and Christmas songs for cellos. Hers has been a journey of music and solidarity, where cello arrangements serve as a medium for cultural preservation and emotional expression amidst conflict. Explore Gill’s story of musical solidarity.
• Max Reger’s Suites Explored – Dr. Peter Swanson continued his series on the music of Max Reger with a look at Reger’s Suites for Unaccompanied Cello, comparing them to the works of J.S. Bach. Dr. Swanson’s latest installment in this series provided insights into how Reger’s compositions, though challenging, have become beloved pieces within the cello repertoire, contributing significantly to our understanding of solo cello music. Discover the intersection of homage and originality in Reger’s suites.
• Rudolf Matz: The Cello Theorist – Rudolf Matz, perhaps one of the greatest cello theorists, was celebrated for his contributions to cello pedagogy and performance. Our own Dr. Jonathan Simmons highlighted Matz’s extensive travels and multilingual prowess, which enriched his interactions and teachings in the cello community. Learn more about Rudolf Matz’s legacy.
• Honoring Christopher Bunting – On what would have been his 100th birthday, Christopher Bunting was remembered by guest writer Catherine Black. She highlighted his profound influence as a teacher and performer, celebrating his dedication to the cello and his genius in both pedagogy and performance. Read Catherine Black’s heartfelt tribute.

Christopher Bunting. Photo courtesy Catherine Black.

Topics of Interest to Cellists

This past year at the Cello Museum, we’ve also featured articles focused on practical aspects of playing the cello. While tastes and needs differ from cellist to cellist, cellist Erica Lessie (of Erica’s Postcards) gave practical advice on finding one’s favorite rockstops, cello chairs, and harnesses for playing the cello while standing.

In response to a comment I made about slipping pegs at the change of a season, our bow expert, a bowmaker and violist, explained how seasonal changes can affect how cello pegs hold the strings, often causing tuning instability, along with advice on managing this phenomenon.

Celebrating a Milestone: The Inaugural Bethany Beach Cellofest

Bethany Beach Cellofest Boardwalk Concert. Photo from Bethany Beach Facebook page.

This past year marked a significant milestone for the Cello Museum with the successful launch of our very first in-person event, the Bethany Beach Cellofest. Set against the picturesque backdrop of Bethany Beach, this vibrant celebration of cello music brought together the community and cellists through a series of performances and educational events that showcased the versatility and beauty of the cello.

The inaugural Bethany Beach Cellofest provided participating cellists the opportunity to learn solo repertoire by women composers, play a wide variety of music in a cello ensemble, and work closely with our cello faculty. Performances featured soloist Jennifer Kloetzel and cellist and “Cellos of Unusual Shape” specialist, Erica Lessie. Performances and educational activities were presented around Bethany Beach, from our concert for 600+ people on the boardwalk, to more intimate events at the South Coastal Library, St. Martha’s Episcopal Church, and the Bethany Beach Nature Center.

Bethany Beach Cellofest educational event at the South Coastal Library. Photo by Jennifer Kloetzel.

We are grateful to local sponsors, including the Town of Bethany Beach, St. Martha’s Episcopal Church, and Bethany Beach Books, as well as Jennifer Kloetzel, Vaulted Sky Music, and High Strung Violins & Guitars, for making our first Bethany Beach Cellofest a success.

We hope you’ll join us for our second Bethany Beach Cellofest next year. Registration will open at the end of November.

Bethany Beach Cellofest Rehearsal at St. Martha’s. Left to right: Thomas, Brenda Neece, Jennifer Kloetzel, Judy, and Erica Lessie.

A Chance to Win Prizes!

This Giveaway is now closed for entries.

Congratulations to the winners of our random prize giveaway. Our first prize winner of the T-shirt is Jeanne Fox of New York; our second prize winner of the mug is Kym K of Tucson, AZ; and our third prize winner of the sticker from our limited edition 4th birthday product line is Tom Timmes of Lexington, Virginia.

Thank you to everyone who participated. Not a winner this time? Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to learn about our latest giveaways. This year we have fabulous prizes in our International Cello Day Giveaway.

Please Help Us Continue

While this online museum is completely free to visitors, we would be grateful for your help in keeping our website running.

You can make a real difference to us through your tax-deductible donations* and museum shop purchases. Every donation helps.

Please tell your friends, students, family, and colleagues about us, too.

Thank you.

*The Cello Museum is a sponsored artist with The Performance Zone Inc (dba The Field), a not-for-profit, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organization serving the arts community. Contributions to The Field earmarked for The Cello Museum are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. For more information about The Field contact: The Field, 225 West 34th Street, Floor 9 | New York, NY 10122, phone: 212-691-6969. A copy of our latest financial report may be obtained from The Field or from the Office of Attorney General, Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.