List of cellists

Pablo Casals is considered to be one of the most influential cellists.

A person who plays the cello is called a cellist. This list of notable cellists is divided into three categories: 1) Living Classical Cellists; 2) Deceased Classical Cellists; 3) Non-classical Cellists. To keep the lists usable and useful, please include only those who have attained notability as 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 of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola and double bass.

Please do not add those known for other activities who happen to play or have played the cello either professionally (e.g., the conductor Arturo Toscanini and composer Heitor Villa-Lobos ) or privately (e.g., the actress Rosamund Pike). Also, please do not add people without Wikipedia articles, unless you can also add a reference to verify the person's notability as a cellist.

Living classical cellists

A

• Jamal Aliyev (born 1993, Azerbaijan)
• Tanya Anisimova (born 1966, Russian, also a composer)
• Julian Armour (born 1960, Canadian)

B

• Michael Bach (born 1958, Germany, also composer and visual artist)
• Soo Bae (born 1977, Korean-Canadian, living in New York, USA)
• Zuill Bailey (born 1972, USA)
• Alexander Baillie (born 1956, England)
• Matthew Barley (born 1965, England)
• Mario Brunello (born 1960, Italy)
• Maya Beiser (born 1968, Israel (now USA), new classical music)
• Emmanuelle Bertrand (born 1971, France)
• Coenraad Bloemendal (born 1946, Netherlands, now Canada)
• Mike Block (born 1982, USA)
• Becca Bradley (born 1991, USA)
• Andreas Brantelid (born 1987, Denmark)
• Carter Brey (born USA, 1954)
• František Brikcius (living, Czech Republic)
• Denis Brott (born 1950, Canada)
• Anner Bylsma (born 1934, Netherlands; Baroque cello)

C

• Gautier Capuçon (born 1976, France)
• Colin Carr (born 1957, England)
• Phoebe Carrai (born 1955, USA; historically informed)
• Jesús Castro-Balbi (living, USA/France/Peru)
• Han-na Chang (born 1982, South Korea; also a conductor)
• Young-Chang Cho (born 1958, South Korea)
• Chu Yibing (born 1966, China)
• Lluís Claret (born 1951, Andorra)
• Natalie Clein (born 1977, England)
• Bruno Cocset (born 1963, France)
• Robert Cohen (born 1959, England)
• Christophe Coin (born 1958, France)
• Emilio Colón (born Puerto Rico in the 1960s; also a composer)

D

• Robert deMaine (born 1969, USA)
• Jean Deplace (living; French)
• William De Rosa (living; USA)
• Rohan de Saram (born 1939)
• Roel Dieltiens (born 1957, Belgium;- baroque and modern cello)
• Denise Djokic (born 1980, Canada)

E

• Angela East (born 1949,continuo player and member of Red Priest)

F

• Yosif Feigelson (born 1955, Latvia)
• David Finckel (born 1951) (founding former member of the Emerson String Quartet)
• Amanda Forsyth (born 1966, Canada)
• Eugene Friesen (born 1952, USA)
• Michaela Fukačová (living, Czech Republic)

G

• Sol Gabetta (born 1981, Argentina)
• Igor Gavrish (born 1945, Russia)
• Alban Gerhardt (born 1969, Germany)
• David Geringas (born 1946, Lithuania)
• Rudolf Gleißner (born 1942; Germany)
• Michael Goldschlager (US-born Australian)
• Kristin von der Goltz (born 1966, Germany, period-instrument)
• Clive Greensmith (born 1967, England)
• Natalia Gutman (born 1942, Russia)

H

• Matt Haimovitz (born 1970, Israel)
• Richard Harwood (born 1979, England)
• Ofra Harnoy (born 1965, Israel)
• Lynn Harrell (born 1944, USA)
• Stjepan Hauser (born 1986, Croatia)
• sv (born 1945, Sweden)
• Desmond Hoebig (born 1961, Canada)
• Louise Hopkins (born 1968, England)

I

• Steven Isserlis (born 1958; England)
• Sergei Istomin (living; born in Russia, resides in Belgium; period instrument; also plays viola da gamba)
• Yuki Ito (born 1990, Japan)
• Alexander Ivashkin (born 1948, Russia (Soviet Union); resides in USA)

J

• Guy Johnston (born 1981, England)

K

• Anssi Karttunen (born 1960, Finland)
• Paul Katz (living; USA; founding member of the Cleveland Quartet )
• Jonah Kim (born 1988, South Korea)
• Ralph Kirshbaum (born 1946; USA)
• Maria Kliegel (born 1952; Germany)
• Jacob Koranyi (born 1983, Sweden)
• Nina Kotova (living; born Russia, lives USA)
• Anatoli Krastev (born 1947, Bulgaria)
• Josef Krecmer (born 1958, Czech Republic)
• Joel Krosnick (born 1941, USA; was member of Juilliard String Quartet )
• Wieland Kuijken (born 1938; Belgium; baroque cello and viola da gamba; also a conductor)
• Friedemann Kupsa (born 1943, Austria)
• Aage Kvalbein (born 1947, Norway)

L

• David Lale (Australian cellist) (born 1962, England)
• David Lale (British cellist) (born 1981, England)
• Gerard Le Feuvre (born 1962, Channel Islands)
• Trey Lee Chui-yee (living, born Hong Kong)
• Mats Lidström (born 1959, Sweden)
• Jaap ter Linden (born 1947, Netherlands; Baroque cello)
• Gavriel Lipkind (born 1977, Israel)
• Julian Lloyd Webber (born 1951, England)
• Sam Lucas (born 1996, Australia)

M

• Yo-Yo Ma (born 1955, Paris, raised USA)
• Mischa Maisky (born 1948, Latvia)
• Jussi Makkonen (born 1979, Finland)
• Brian Manker (Canada)
• Jonathan Manson (born Edinburgh, Scotland; period instrument specialist; also plays viola da gamba)
• Alain Meunier (born 1942, France)
• Antônio Meneses (born 1957, Brazil)
• pl (born 1948, Poland)
• Truls Mørk (born 1961, Norway)
• John Moran (born 1963, USA, Baroque cello)
• Johannes Moser (born 1979, Germany, lives in Canada)
• Philippe Muller (born 1946, France)
• Daniel Müller-Schott (born 1976, Germany)
• Lorne Munroe (born 1924, USA)

N

• Clancy Newman (born 1977, United States)
• Şerban Nichifor (born 1954, Romania; also a composer)
• Arto Noras (born 1942, Finland)
• Steven Sharp Nelson (Member Of The Piano Guys )

O

• Kevin Olusola (born 1988, United States)

P

• Saerom Park (Born 1981, South Korea)
• Johann Sebastian Paetsch (born 1964, USA)
• Aldo Parisot (born 1921, Brazil)
• Vito Paternoster (living, born 1963 [estimated from other dates], Italy; also a conductor and composer)
• Samuli Peltonen (born 1981, Finland)
• David Pereira (born 1953, Australia)
• Miklós Perényi (born 1948, Hungary)
• Luigi Piovano (living, Italy, plays both Baroque and modern cellos, also a conductor)
• Anthony Pleeth (born 1948, England, plays Baroque cello, son and student of William Pleeth)
• Andrei Pricope (1969, Romania)
• Carlos Prieto (born 1937, Mexico)

Q

• Jean-Guihen Queyras (born 1976, Canada (lives France), plays both Baroque and modern cello)
• Misha Quint (born Russia)

R

• Shauna Rolston (born 1967, Canada)
• Giovanni Ricciardi (born 1968, Italy)
• Sharon Robinson (born 1954, USA)
• (Kyril) Kirill Rodin (born 1963, Russia)
• Joshua Roman (born 1983, USA)
• Alexei Romanenko (born 1974, Russia)
• Nathaniel Rosen (born 1948, USA)
• Martti Rousi (born 1960, Finland)
• Alexander Rudin (born 1960, Russia)
• Martin Rummel (born 1974, Austria)

S

• John Sant’Ambrogio (born 1932, USA)
• Sara Sant'Ambrogio (born circa 1960 estimated, USA)
• Heinrich Schiff (1951, Austria)
• Inbal Segev (born Israel, lives USA)
• Tessa Seymour (born 1993, USA)
• Natalia Shakhovskaya (born 1935, Russia)
• Fred Sherry (born 1948, USA)
• Andrew Shulman (also a conductor and composer) (born 1960, England)
• Anna Shuttleworth (born 1927, England)
• Vedran Smailović (born 1956, Bosnia and Herzogovina)
• Giovanni Sollima (also a composer) (born 1962, Italy)
• Pierre Strauch (born 1958, France)
• Peter Stumpf (USA)
• Luka Šulić (born 1987, Slovenia)

T

• Ronald Thomas (born 1952, USA)
• Doron Toister (born 1957, Israel)
• Fiona Thompson (England, lives in USA)
• Tanya Tomkins (living, USA; baroque cello)
• Bion Tsang (born 1967, USA)

U

• Frances-Marie Uitti (born 1946, USA; also a composer)

V

• Laura van der Heijden (Britain, 1997)
• Laszlo Varga (born 1924, Hungary)
• Jan Vogler (born 1964, Germany)

W

• Nathan Waks (born 1951, Australia)
• Raphael Wallfisch (born 1953, England)
• Jamie Walton (Germany, 1974)
• Jian Wang (born 1968, China)
• Wendy Warner (USA)
• Graham Waterhouse (also a composer) (born 1962, England)
• David Watkin (born 1965, England, primarily period instrument)
• Paul Watkins (born 1970, Wales)
• Alisa Weilerstein (born 1982, USA, classical)
• Donald Whitton (born 1923, Canada)
• Peter Wiley (born 1955, USA)
• Dominique de Williencourt (born 1959, France, also a composer)
• Pieter Wispelwey (born 1962, Netherlands)
• Kanon Wakeshima (born June 28, 1988,Tokyo Japan)

XYZ

• Sung-Won Yang (living, South Korea)

Deceased classical cellists

A

• Claus Adam (1917–1983, also a composer)
• Joseph Alexander (c. 1770–1822, Germany)
• Diran Alexanian (1881–1954)
• Francesco Aliani (1762–1812, Italy)
• Olivier Aubert (1763–c. 1830, also a composer)

B

• Felix Battanchon (1814–1893)
• Paul Bazelaire (1886–1958)
• Hugo Becker (1863–1941)
• Erling Bløndal Bengtsson (Denmark, 1932–2013)
• Luigi Boccherini (1743–1805), (primarily a composer)
• Gaetano Braga (1829–1907, also a composer)
• Jean-Baptiste Bréval (1753–1823)
• Christopher Bunting (1924–2005)
• Friedrich Buxbaum (1869–1948, Austria)

C

• Pablo Casals (1876–1973, Spain, also a composer and conductor)
• Juan Ruiz Casaux (1889–1972; Spain)
• Gaspar Cassadó (1897–1966, also a composer)
• Giovanni Battista Cirri (1724–1808, also a composer)
• Orlando Cole (1908–2010)
• Bernhard Cossmann (1822–1910)
• Douglas Cummings (1944–2014)

D

• Karl Davydov (1838–1889)
• Jules Delsart (1844–1900), French cellist
• Friedrich Dotzauer (1783–1860)
• Jean-Louis Duport (1749–1819) (French, brother of Jean-Pierre Duport)
• Jean-Pierre Duport (1741–1818)
• Jacqueline du Pré (1945–1987, England)

E

• Maurice Eisenberg (24.II.1900, Königsberg, Poland–1972, USA)

F

• Emanuel Feuermann (1902–1942, born Ukraine, died USA)
• Wilhelm Fitzenhagen (1848–1890)
• Lawrence Foster (1954–1980, USA) Foster made his debut at the age of 12 with the Chicago Symphony. He also appeared on television with Leonard Bernstein in one of his "Young People's Concerts," with the New York Philharmonic. At 19, he was chosen winner at the Leeds International Musician's Platform. Foster was a student of Leonard Rose and William Pleeth and also a scholarship recipient to Juilliard. He was murdered during a carjacking attempt in Atlanta, Georgia.
• Pierre Fournier (1906–1986, France)
• Auguste Franchomme (1808–1884, France)

G

• Domenico Gabrielli (d.1690)
• Raya Garbousova (1909–1997, Born Georgia, Russian Empire)
• Maurice Gendron (1920–1990, France)
• Georg Goltermann (1825–1876, Germany; also a composer)
• Bernard Greenhouse (1916–2011, USA, founding member of the Beaux Arts Trio)
• Friedrich Grützmacher (1832–1903, Germany)

H

• Beatrice Harrison (1892–1965, England)
• Robert Hausmann (1852–1909, Germany)
• Victor Herbert (1859–1924, Ireland, also a conductor; primarily remembered as a composer)

J

• Antonio Janigro (1918–1989, Italy)
• Nicasio Jiménez (1849–1891, born Cuba, was professor at the Conservatory of Tours)

K

• John Kennedy (1922–1980, born England)
• Lauri Kennedy (1896–1985, born Australia)
• Julius Klengel (1859–1933, Germany)
• Sviatoslav Knushevitsky (1907–1963, Russia)
• Otto van Koppenhagen (1897–1978, Netherlands)
• Antonín Kraft (1752–1820)

M

• Rudolf Matz (1901–1988)
• Frank Miller (1912–1986, USA)
• Georges Miquelle (1894-1977, born in France)
• Víctor Mirecki Larramat (1947–1921, born in France, lived in Spain)
• Charlotte Moorman (1933–1991, USA, performance art)

N

• André Navarra (1911–1988, France)
• Zara Nelsova (1918–2002, Canada)

O

• Jacques Offenbach (1819–1880, Germany, France)

P

• Siegfried Palm (1927–2005, Germany)
• Boris Piergamienszczikow (born 29 August 1948 in Leningrad, died 30 April 2004 in Berlin)
• Gregor Piatigorsky (Russia, 1903–1976)
• Alfredo Piatti (1822–1901, Italian)
• William Pleeth (1916–1999) (British cellist and teacher of Jacqueline du Pré)
• David Popper (Hungary, 1843–1913)

R

• Gabor Rejto (1916–1987, Hungary)
• Bernhard Romberg (1767–1841, Germany, also a composer)
• Leonard Rose (1918–1984, USA)
• Mstislav Rostropovich (1927–2007, Russia, also a conductor)

S

• Karel Pravoslav Sádlo (1898–1971, Czech)
• Miloš Sádlo (1912–2003, Czech)
• Felix Salmond (1880–1952, England)
• Franz Schmidt (22 December 1874–11 February 1939, Austria; also a pianist and primarily remembered as a composer)
• Georg Schnéevoigt (1872–1947, Finnish, also a conductor)
• Eleonore Schoenfeld (1925–2007, born Slovenia, died USA)
• Joseph Schuster (1903–1969, born Turkey, died USA)
• Adrien François Servais) (1807–1866, France)
• Daniil Shafran (1923–1997, USSR)
• František Sláma (cellist) (Czech, 1923–2004)
• Benyamin Sönmez (1983–2011) (Turkey)
• George Sopkin (cellist of the Fine Arts Quartet from 1946 to 1979) (1914–2008, USA)
• David Soyer, founding cellist of the Guarneri Quartet. (1923–2010, USA)
• William Henry Squire (1871–1963, England)
• János Starker (1924–2013, born Hungary, died USA)
• Guilhermina Suggia (1885–1950, Portugal)

T

• Paul Tortelier (1914–1990, France)

V

• Aleksandr Verzhbilovich (1911–1950, Russia)

W

• Terence Weil (1921–1995, England)

Non-classical cellists

A

• Muhal Richard Abrams (born 1930, USA, jazz, also a pianist, composer and multi-instrumentalist)

B

• David Baker (born 1931, USA; jazz composer and performer)
• Thomas Batuello (born 1994; TV star, rock)
• Matt Brubeck (born 1961, USA; jazz)

C

• Isobel Campbell (born 1976, indie rock genres)
• Caroline Lavelle(singer-songwriter and cellist)
• Gretta Cohn (rock musician; radio producer)
• Tom Cora (1953-1998; USA; experimental jazz and rock)
• Melora Creager (born 1966, USA; rock)

D

• Caroline Dale (born 1965, England; classical and popular musics)

E

• Rushad Eggleston (born 1979, USA, cello rock)

F

• Gideon Freudmann (eclectic composer, cello rock)
• Erik Friedlander (born 1960, USA, jazz)
• Eugene Friesen (1952 - ) (Grammy award-winning jazz/improvisational cellist)

G

• Károly Garam (born 1941, Hungary, now lives in Finland; popular musics)
• Lani Groves (born 1980, South Africa; world musics)
• Hildur Guðnadóttir (born 4 September 1982; Icelandic, now lives in Germany; solo and in electronica bands)

H

• Melissa Hasin (born 1954, USA; popular musics)
• Stjepan Hauser (born 1986, Croatia, part of 2Cellos)
• Svante Henryson (born 1963, Sweden; jazz, rock and other)
• Tristan Honsinger (free jazz, free improv cellist)
• Ivan Hussey (fusion)

J

• Jorane (born 1975, Canada; alternative singer-songwriter)

K

• Fred Katz (born 1919), described as "the first real jazz cellist."
• Zoë Keating (born 1972, Canada; classical/ cello rock/ soundtrack composer)
• Julia Kent (living; born Canada; cello rock)
• Perttu Kivilaakso (born 1978, Finland, from cello metal band Apocalyptica)
• Brent Kutzle (cellist for band OneRepublic)

L

• Alexandra Lawn (from indie rock band Ra Ra Riot)
• Ana Lenchantin (from progressive rock band Into the Presence)
• Max Lilja, cellist of Hevein
• Fred Lonberg-Holm (born 1962, USA; jazz)
• Paavo Lötjönen (born 1968, Finland, from cello metal band Apocalyptica)

M

• Antero Manninen (born 1973, Finland, "cello metal")
• Martin McCarrick (born 1962, England, rock)
• Hugh McDowell (born 1953, England, cellist with rock bands Electric Light Orchestra and ELO Part II)
• Kerry Minnear (born 1948, England, multi-instrumentalist, progressive rock with 70s band Gentle Giant)

N

• Steven Sharp Nelson (born 1977) (member of “The Piano Guys”)

P

• Oscar Pettiford (1922–1960) Bebop
• Kristen Pfaff (1967-1994, alternative rock)

R

• Saskia Rao-de Haas (Born in the Netherlands 1971, classical training, primarily known for Hindustani classical music, also a composer)
• Ernst Reijseger (improvising cellist)
• Hank Roberts (born 1954, USA, jazz)
• Arthur Russell (1951-1992, USA, eclectic genres)

S

• Jane Scarpantoni (living, USA, alternative rock)
• Philip Sheppard (also a composer) (living, England)
• Ben Sollee (born 1983, USA, singer-songwriter, eclectic genres)
• Esperanza Spalding (born 1984, USA, cello, double bass, bass guitar, violin, singer)
• Luka Šulić (born 1987, Croatia, part of 2Cellos)
• Mark Summer, cellist for the Turtle Island String Quartet, which does jazz and occasional covers of rock songs.

T

• Martin Tillman (born 1964, Switzerland, also a composer)
• Eicca Toppinen (from cello metal band Apocalyptica)

W

• Kanon Wakeshima (Wakeshima Kanon, also a vocalist) (born 1988, Japan)
• Aubrey Webber of The Doubleclicks (living, USA, nerd-folk)
• Gay-Yee Westerhoff of Bond

XYZ

• Alexander Zhiroff (living, Russia, jazz and world music)

123

• 2Cellos