List of 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 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.

A



 * Jamal Aliyev (born 1993, Azerbaijan)
 * Nicolas Altstaedt (born 1982, Germany)
 * 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 United States)
 * Zuill Bailey (born 1972, United States)
 * Alexander Baillie (born 1956, England)
 * Matthew Barley (born 1965, England)
 * Maya Beiser (born 1963, Israel, moved to the United States, new classical music)
 * Emmanuelle Bertrand (born 1973, France)
 * Coenraad Bloemendal (born 1946, Netherlands, moved to Canada)
 * Mike Block (born 1982, United States)
 * Becca Bradley (born 1991, United States)
 * Andreas Brantelid (born 1987, Denmark)
 * Carter Brey (born 1954, United States)
 * František Brikcius (living, Czech Republic)
 * Denis Brott (born 1950, Canada)
 * Mario Brunello (born 1960, Italy)
 * Max Beitan (born 1986, Russia)

C



 * Gautier Capuçon (born 1981, France)
 * Colin Carr (born 1957, England)
 * Phoebe Carrai (born 1955, United States, baroque and other historical styles)
 * Jesús Castro-Balbi (living, of Peruvian descent, moved from France to the United States)
 * Rosa Cedrón (born 1972, Spain, also a singer)
 * Han-na Chang (born 1982, South Korea, also a conductor)
 * Young-Chang Cho (born 1958, South Korea)
 * Chu Yibing (born 1966, China)
 * Myung-wha Chung (born 1944, Korean)
 * Lluís Claret (born 1951, Andorra)
 * Natalie Clein (living, England)
 * Bruno Cocset (born 1963, France)
 * Robert Cohen (born 1959, England)
 * Christophe Coin (born 1958, France)
 * Emilio Colón (born in Puerto Rico, also a composer and conductor)
 * Kristina Reiko Cooper (living, United States)
 * Marc Coppey (born 1969, France)

D



 * Caroline Dale (born 1965, England, classical and popular music)
 * Nadine Deleury (France)
 * Robert deMaine (born 1969, United States)
 * William De Rosa (living, United States)
 * Rohan de Saram (born 1939, England, also contemporary music)
 * Roel Dieltiens (born 1957, Belgium, baroque and modern cello)
 * Denise Djokic (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

F



 * Yosif Feigelson (born 1955, Latvia)
 * Emmanuel Feldman (born 1965, United States)
 * Pablo Ferrández (born 1991, Spain)
 * David Finckel (born 1951, United States, founding former member of the Emerson String Quartet)
 * C. Myron Flippin (United States)
 * Amanda Forsyth (born 1966, Canada)
 * Eugene Friesen (born 1952, United States)
 * Michaela Fukačová (living, Czech Republic)

G



 * Sol Gabetta (born 1981, Argentina)
 * Ophélie Gaillard (born 1974, France)
 * Alban Gerhardt (born 1969, Germany)
 * Kristin von der Goltz (born 1966, Germany, period instrument)
 * David Geringas (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 (born 1942, Russian)

H



 * Matt Haimovitz (born 1970, Israel)
 * Narek Hakhnazaryan (born 1988, Armenia)
 * Yehuda Hanani (born Jerusalem, Israel)
 * Richard Harwood (born 1979, England)
 * Ofra Harnoy (born 1965, Israel)
 * Stjepan Hauser (born 1986, Croatia)
 * Frans Helmerson (born 1945, Sweden)
 * Catherine Hewgill (born 1963, Australia) - Principal Cello Sydney Symphony Orchestra
 * Desmond Hoebig (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 (born 1958, England)
 * Sergei Istomin (Russian, resides in Belgium), period instruments, also plays viola da gamba
 * Yuki Ito (born 1990, Japan)

J

 * Ádám Jávorkai (born 1977, Hungary)
 * Guy Johnston (born 1981, England)

K

 * Sheku Kanneh-Mason (born 1999, United Kingdom)
 * Ivan Karizna (born 1992, Belarus)
 * Anssi Karttunen (born 1960, Finland)
 * Paul Katz (living, United States), founding member of the Cleveland Quartet
 * Jonah Kim (born 1988, South Korea)
 * Ralph Kirshbaum (born 1946, United States)
 * Maria Kliegel (born 1952, Germany)
 * Jacob Koranyi (born 1983, Sweden)
 * Nina Kotova (born 1969 in Soviet Union, lives in the United States)
 * Maxim Kozlov (active 1995 - present, born in Russia, 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
 * 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 (born 1973, Hong Kong)
 * Mats Lidström (born 1959, Sweden)
 * Jaap ter Linden (born 1947, Netherlands), baroque cello
 * Gavriel Lipkind (born 1977, Israel)
 * Hugh Livingston (born 1969)
 * Julian Lloyd Webber (born 1951, England)

M

 * Yo-Yo Ma (born 1955 in France, raised and living in the United States)
 * Mischa Maisky (born 1948, Latvia)
 * Brian Manker (living, Canada)
 * Jonathan Manson (living, born in Scotland), period instruments, also plays viola da gamba
 * Alain Meunier (born 1942, France)
 * Antônio Meneses (born 1957, Brazil)
 * Ailbhe McDonagh (born 1982, Ireland)
 * Ivan Monighetti (born 1948, Poland)
 * John Moran (born 1963, United States), baroque cello
 * Truls Mørk (born 1961, Norway)
 * Johannes Moser (born 1979, Germany, lives in Canada)
 * Philippe Muller (born 1946, France)
 * Daniel Müller-Schott (born 1976, Germany)

N

 * Steven Sharp Nelson (born 1977, United States), member Of The Piano Guys
 * Clancy Newman (born 1977, United States)
 * Şerban Nichifor (born 1954, Romania), also a composer
 * Arto Noras (born 1942, Finland)
 * Nancy Lenehan (born 1953, United States), learning to play

O

 * Kevin Olusola (born 1988, United States)
 * Ouyang Nana (born 2000, China)

P

 * Johann Sebastian Paetsch (born 1964, United States)
 * Paolo Pandolfo (born 1964, Italy, viola da gamba)
 * Angela Park (born 1987, United States)
 * Saerom Park (born 1981, South Korea)
 * Vito Paternoster (born circa 1963 [estimated from other dates], Italy, also a conductor and composer)
 * Amit Peled (born 1973, Israel)
 * Samuli Peltonen (born 1981, Finland)
 * David Pereira (born 1953, Australia)
 * Miklós Perényi (born 1948, Hungary)
 * Vladimir Perlin (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 (born 1948, England, baroque cello, son and student of William Pleeth)
 * Carlos Prieto (born 1937, Mexico)
 * Mark Prihodko (born 1997, Belarus, lives in United States)

Q

 * Jean-Guihen Queyras (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 (born 1963, Russian)
 * Sergei Roldugin (born 1951, Russia)
 * Shauna Rolston (born 1967, Canada)
 * Joshua Roman (born 1983, United States)
 * Alexei Romanenko (born 1974 in Soviet Union, moved to the United States)
 * Nathaniel Rosen (born 1948, United States)
 * Martti Rousi (born 1960, Finland)
 * Alexander Rudin (born 1960, Russian)
 * Martin Rummel (born 1974, Austria)

S

 * John Sant’Ambrogio (born 1932, United States)
 * Sara Sant'Ambrogio (born 1962, United States)
 * Niklas Schmidt (born 1958, Germany)
 * Julian Schwarz (born 1991, United States)
 * Inbal Segev (born in Israel, lives in the United States)
 * Tessa Seymour (born 1993, United States)
 * Fred Sherry (born 1948, United States)
 * Andrew Shulman (born 1960, England, also a conductor and composer)
 * Vedran Smailović (born 1956, Bosnia and Herzogovina, lives in Northern Ireland)
 * Brinton Averil Smith (born 1969, in Royal Oak Michigan)
 * Giovanni Sollima (born 1962, Italy, also a composer)
 * Jeffrey Solow (born 1949, Los Angeles)
 * Kian Soltani (born 1992, Austria)
 * Julian Steckel (born 1982, Germany)
 * Pierre Strauch (born 1958, France)
 * Peter Stumpf (United States)
 * Luka Šulić (born 1987, Slovenia)
 * Hidemi Suzuki (born 1957, Japan, period instruments, also a conductor)

T

 * Stéphane Tétreault (born 1993, Canada)
 * Camille Thomas (born 1988, France)
 * Ronald Thomas (born 1952, United States)
 * Doron Toister (born 1957, Israel)
 * Fiona Thompson (born in England, lives in the United States)
 * Bion Tsang (born 1967, United States)

U

 * Frances-Marie Uitti (born 1946, United States, also a composer)

V

 * Laura van der Heijden (born 1997, England)
 * Jan Vogler (born 1964 in Germany, lives in the United States)

W

 * Nathan Waks (born 1951, Australia)
 * Christine Walevska (born 1943, Los Angeles, California)
 * Raphael Wallfisch (born 1953, England)
 * Jian Wang (born 1968, China)
 * Wendy Warner (living, United States)
 * Graham Waterhouse (born 1962, England, also a composer)
 * Paul Watkins (born 1970, Wales)
 * Alisa Weilerstein (born 1982, United States)
 * Paul Wiancko (born 1983, United States, also a composer)
 * Peter Wiley (born 1955, United States)
 * Dominique de Williencourt (born 1959, France, also a composer)
 * Pieter Wispelwey (born 1962, Netherlands)

XYZ

 * Sung-Won Yang (living, South Korea)
 * Daniel Yeadon (born 1967, England, lives in Australia)
 * Dmitry Yablonsky (living, Russia)

B

 * Thomas Batuello (born 1994, TV work, rock music)
 * Matt Brubeck (born 1961, United States, jazz music)

C

 * Isobel Campbell (born 1976, Scotland, indie rock)
 * Grace Chatto (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 (born 1966, United States, rock music)

D

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

E

 * Rushad Eggleston (born 1979, United States, cello rock)

F

 * Gideon Freudmann (living, eclectic composer, cello rock)
 * Erik Friedlander (born 1960, United States, jazz)
 * Eugene Friesen (born 1952, United States, jazz/improvisational cellist)

G

 * Károly Garam (born 1941 in Hungary, moved to Finland, popular musics)
 * Lani Groves (born 1980, South Africa, world musics)
 * Hildur Guðnadóttir (born 1982, Iceland, lives in Germany, solo and in electronica bands)
 * Tina Guo (born 1985, China)

H

 * Natalie Haas (living, United States, Celtic folk music)
 * Melissa Hasin (born 1954, United States, popular music)
 * Stjepan Hauser (born 1986, Croatia, part of 2Cellos)
 * Svante Henryson (born 1963, Sweden, jazz, rock, also a composer)
 * Ivan Hussey (living, leader of Celloman, fusion music)

J

 * Jorane (born 1975, Canada, alternative singer-songwriter)

K

 * Zoë Keating (born 1972, Canada, cello rock and classical, also a soundtrack composer)
 * Julia Kent (living, born in Canada, cello rock)
 * Perttu Kivilaakso (born 1978, Finland, from cello metal band Apocalyptica)
 * Brent Kutzle (born 1987, United States, in band OneRepublic)

L

 * Caroline Lavelle (living, British singer-songwriter and cellist)
 * Alexandra Lawn (from indie rock band Ra Ra Riot)
 * Ana Lenchantin (living, United States, from progressive rock band Into the Presence)
 * Max Lilja (born 1975, Finland, from thrash metal band Hevein)
 * Fred Lonberg-Holm (born 1962, United States, 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)
 * 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

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

R

 * Saskia Rao-de Haas (born 1971, Netherlands, primarily known for Hindustani classical music, also a composer)
 * Ernst Reijseger (born 1954, Netherlands, improvisation)
 * Hank Roberts (born 1954, United States, jazz)

S

 * Jane Scarpantoni (living, United States, alternative rock)
 * Philip Sheppard (living, England, also a composer)
 * Ben Sollee (born 1983, United States, singer-songwriter, eclectic genres)
 * Luka Šulić (born 1987, Croatia, part of 2Cellos)
 * Mark Summer (born 1958, United States, original cellist of Turtle Island String Quartet)

T

 * Martin Tillman (born 1964, Switzerland, also a composer)
 * Eicca Toppinen (born 1975, Finland, from cello metal band Apocalyptica)
 * Matt Turner (living, United States)

W

 * Kanon Wakeshima (born 1988, Japan, also a vocalist)
 * Aubrey Webber (living, United States, nerd-folk with The Doubleclicks)
 * Gay-Yee Westerhoff (born 1973, England, of crossover band Bond)

XYZ

 * Alexander Zhiroff (born 1951, Russian, world music)

A

 * Claus Adam (1917–1983, United States, also a composer)
 * Joseph Alexander (c.1770–1822, Germany)
 * Diran Alexanian (1881–1954, Armenia)
 * Francesco Aliani (1762–1812, Italy)
 * Karl Andersen (1903–1970, Norway, also a composer)
 * Johann Gottfried Arnold (1773–1806, Germany, also a composer)
 * Olivier Aubert (1763–c.1830, France, also a composer)

B

 * Felix Battanchon (1814–1893, France)
 * Paul Bazelaire (1886–1958, France)
 * Hugo Becker (1863–1941, Germany)
 * Auguste van Biene (1849–1913, Netherlands, moved to England)
 * Luigi Boccherini (1743–1805), Italy, primarily a composer)
 * Karl Leopold Böhm (1806–1859, Austria)
 * Gaetano Braga (1829–1907, Italy, also a composer)
 * Jean-Baptiste Bréval (1753–1823, France)
 * Christopher Bunting (1924–2005, England)
 * Friedrich Buxbaum (1869–1948, Austria)
 * Anner Bylsma (1934–2019, Netherlands, baroque cello)

C

 * Pau Casals (1876–1973, Spain, also a composer and conductor)
 * Juan Ruiz Casaux (1889–1972, Spain)
 * Gaspar Cassadó (1897–1966, Spain, also a composer)
 * Giacobbe Cervetto (died 1783, Italy, moved to England)
 * James Cervetto (1748–1837, UK)
 * Mabel Chaplin (1870–1960, UK, member of the Chaplin Trio; also played viola ga gamba)
 * Giovanni Battista Cirri (1724–1808, Italy, also a composer)
 * Jennifer Ward Clarke (1935–2015, UK)
 * Hugo Cole (1917-1995, UK)
 * Orlando Cole (1908–2010, United States)
 * Nelson Cooke (1919–2018, Australia, career partly in UK)
 * Bernhard Cossmann (1822–1910, Germany)
 * John Crosdill (1751–1825, UK)
 * Douglas Cummings (1944–2014, UK)

D

 * Karl Davydov (1838–1889, Russia)
 * Jules Delsart (1844–1900, France)
 * Jean Deplace (1944–2015, France)
 * Friedrich Dotzauer (1783–1860, Germany)
 * Karl Drechsler (1800–1873, Germany)
 * Jean-Louis Duport (1749–1819, France, brother of Jean-Pierre Duport)
 * Jean-Pierre Duport (1741–1818, France, brother of Jean-Louis Duport)
 * Jacqueline du Pré (1945–1987, England)

E

 * Maurice Eisenberg (1900–1972, United States)

F

 * Emanuel Feuermann (1902–1942, born in Ukraine, died in the United States)
 * Rocco Filippini (1943–2021, Switzerland)
 * Wilhelm Fitzenhagen (1848–1890, Germany)
 * Pierre Fournier (1906–1986, France)
 * Auguste Franchomme (1808–1884, France)
 * Ricardo Roberto Francia (1932–2021, Argentina)
 * Jacques Franco-Mendès (1816–1889, Netherlands)

G

 * Domenico Gabrielli (d.1690, Italy)
 * Raya Garbousova (1909–1997, born in Georgia, Russian Empire)
 * Maurice Gendron (1920–1990, France)
 * Gwyneth George (1920–2016, UK)
 * Georg Goltermann (1825–1876, Germany, also a composer)
 * Bernard Greenhouse (1916–2011, United States, founding member of the Beaux Arts Trio)
 * Friedrich Grützmacher (1832–1903, Germany)

H

 * Lynn Harrell (1944–2020, United States)
 * Beatrice Harrison (1892–1965, England)
 * Robert Hausmann (1852–1909, Germany)
 * Victor Herbert (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 (1948–2014, Russian)

J

 * Antonio Janigro (1918–1989, Italy)
 * Ivor James (1882–1963, British)
 * Nicasio Jiménez (1849–1891, Cuba)
 * Vivian Joseph (1916-2005, British)

K

 * John Kennedy (1922–1980, born in England, moved to Australia)
 * Lauri Kennedy (1896–1985, born in Australia)
 * Julius Klengel (1859–1933, Germany)
 * Sviatoslav Knushevitsky (1907–1963, Russia)
 * Antonín Kohout (1919–2013, Czech)
 * Otto van Koppenhagen (1897–1978, Netherlands)
 * Antonín Kraft (1752–1820, Czech)

L

 * Salvatore Lanzetti (1710–1780, Italian)
 * Robert Lindley (1776–1855, British)
 * Joseph Linke (1783–1837, Austria)
 * Martin Lovett (1927–2020, England)

M

 * Fritz Magg (1914–1997, born in Vienna, moved to the United States)
 * Enrico Mainardi (1897-1976, Italy)
 * Rudolf Matz (1901–1988, Croatia)
 * Joseph Merk (1795–1852, Austria)
 * Frank Miller (1912–1986, United States)
 * Georges Miquelle (1894–1977, born in France, moved to the United States)
 * Víctor Mirecki Larramat (1947–1921, born in France, lived in Spain)
 * Lorne Munroe (1924–2020, United States)
 * Charlotte Moorman (1933–1991, United States, performance art)
 * May Mukle (1880–1963, British)

N

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

O

 * Jacques Offenbach (1819–1880, born in Germany, lived in France)

P

 * Siegfried Palm (1927–2005, Germany)
 * Aldo Parisot (1918–2018, Brazil, United States)
 * Leslie Parnas (1931–2022, United States)
 * Boris Pergamenschikow (1948–2004, born in Soviet Union, moved to Germany)
 * Gregor Piatigorsky (1903–1976, born in Russia, moved to United States)
 * Alfredo Piatti (1822–1901, Italy)
 * William Pleeth (1916–1999, England, teacher of Jacqueline du Pré)
 * Dominik Połoński (1977–2018, Poland)
 * David Popper (1843–1913, Bohemian born, active in Hungary)

R

 * Jean-Marie Raoul (1766–1837, France, also a composer)
 * Gábor Rejtő (1916–1987, Hungary)
 * Bernhard Romberg (1767–1841, Germany, also a composer)
 * Leonard Rose (1918–1984, United States)
 * 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)
 * Heinrich Schiff (1951–2016, Austria)
 * Franz Schmidt (1874–1939, Austria, also a pianist and a composer)
 * Georg Schnéevoigt (1872–1947, Finnish, also a conductor)
 * Eleonore Schoenfeld (1925–2007, born in Slovenia, died in the United States)
 * Joseph Schuster (1903–1969, born in Turkey, died in the United States)
 * Adrien François Servais (1807–1866, Belgium)
 * Daniil Shafran (1923–1997, Russian)
 * Natalia Shakhovskaya (1935–2017, Russian)
 * Harvey Shapiro (1911–2007, American)
 * Anna Shuttleworth (1927–2021, England)
 * František Sláma (1923–2004, Czech)
 * Benyamin Sönmez (1983–2011, Turkey)
 * George Sopkin (1914–2008, United States)
 * David Soyer (1923–2010, United States)
 * William Henry Squire (1871–1963, England)
 * János Starker (1924–2013, born in Hungary, died in the United States)
 * Peter Steiner (1928-2003, Germany)
 * Leo Stern (1862–1904, England)
 * Guilhermina Suggia (1885–1950, Portugal)

T

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

V

 * Laszlo Varga (1924–2014, Hungary)
 * Aleksandr Verzhbilovich (1850–1911, Russia)
 * J. Louis von der Mehden (1873–1954, United States)

W

 * Terence Weil (1921–1995, England)
 * August Wenzinger (1905–1996, Switzerland)
 * Donald Whitton (1923–2018, Canada)
 * Maximilian Willmann (1767–1813, Germany)

A

 * Muhal Richard Abrams (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 (1953–1998, United States, experimental jazz and rock)

E

 * Mike Edwards (1948–2010, England, member of the Electric Light Orchestra)

H

 * Tristan Honsinger (born 1949, United States, free jazz and free improvisation)

K

 * Fred Katz (1919–2013, United States, described as "the first real jazz cellist")

M

 * Hugh McDowell (1953–2018, England, cellist with rock bands Electric Light Orchestra and ELO Part II)

P

 * Oscar Pettiford (1922–1960, United States, bebop)
 * Kristen Pfaff (1967–1994, United States, alternative rock)

R

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