The journey to cello mastery is as challenging as it is rewarding.
For cellists who wish to become professional performers, choosing the right college can be a pivotal decision in their musical career.
The ideal institution offers more than just technical training; it provides a nurturing environment where talent can flourish.
At the heart of any exceptional cello program lies its faculty.
These mentors not only possess remarkable skills but also dedicate themselves to cultivating each student’s unique voice. Their guidance often propels students to prestigious positions in major orchestras, chamber ensembles, and solo careers.
Beyond the classroom, the musical community and overall atmosphere play crucial roles in a cellist’s development. The right environment can inspire creativity, foster healthy competition, and provide invaluable performance opportunities.
In this article, we present our selection of 10 of the best cello schools in the United States. Keep in mind these are not the 10 absolute best schools for cello, but rather, a starting point when looking into college for music.
These institutions stand out for their exceptional faculty, many of whom have launched students into renowned orchestras such as the Atlanta and Boston Symphonies. Each school offers a unique blend of rigorous training, a supportive community, and a rich musical tradition.
New England Conservatory (Boston, MA)
Studying cello performance in Boston offers unparalleled advantages with proximity to renowned musical venues, cultural attractions, and a vibrant arts scene, providing a rich learning environment for students.
Cello students are eligible to audition for NEC’s Honors Ensemble program, wherein selected performers receive dedicated mentoring and the promise of a recital in Jordan Hall, on top of their many other performance opportunities.
The Symphony Hall is directly across from campus, where the Boston Symphony performs. In fact, students at NEC, including the cellists, can work with musicians who hold dual appointments as faculty at NEC and performers in the BSO.
Faculty who work with students include Paul Katz – the Grammy Award-winning founding cellist of the Cleveland Quartet and former President of Chamber Music America – and Yeesun Kim, previous winner of the Seoul Young Artists Award for music achievement.
San Francisco Conservatory of Music (San Francisco, CA)
At the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM), cello scholars will benefit from the guidance of Richard Aaron, who was newly appointed to the SFCM faculty for the fall of 2024.
Richard Aaron is among the most popular cello teachers of his time, and he is perhaps the most successful living cello teacher when it comes to students who gain jobs in major orchestras.
According to his website bio, his students have won jobs in the orchestras of “Chicago, St. Louis, Seattle, Dallas, Portland, St. Paul, Pittsburg, San Francisco, Utah, and the Metropolitan Opera,” among others.
Other cello faculty members at SFCM include Amos Yang, a veteran of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra who was previously a member of the Seattle Symphony, and Jennifer Culp, a former cellist with the acclaimed Kronos Quartet.
Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD)
Peabody stands out from other cello performance schools on this list with its Breakthrough Curriculum, focusing on performance, career development, and citizen artistry.
The final course – Pitching Your Creative Idea – involves designing and presenting a project for external settings, preparing cello students for the ever-evolving demands of the 21st-century performing arts landscape (including a grant application and potential project funding).
Two of the most respected cello professors in the world teach at Peabody: Amit Peled and Alan Stepansky.
Both faculty are incredibly successful in placing students into orchestras and other employment opportunities.
Amit Peled was one of the youngest professors ever hired by a major conservatory when he joined the Johns Hopkins campus in 2003. Continuing his commitment to stewarding young cello artists into a successful career, he has recently founded the Amit Peled Online Cello Academy to offer private lessons to international learners.
Alan Stepansky dually teaches at the Manhattan School of Music and has performed with famous artists like Natalie Merchant, Bruce Springsteen, and Sting. His past students are now playing in groups like the Seattle Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, Oregon Symphony, New York City Ballet, and others.
Eastman School of Music (Rochester, NY)
Cello students at Eastman benefit from ample performance opportunities, including orchestral ensembles, recitals, chamber music, and competitions in three outstanding halls. The program emphasizes creative growth and pedagogical expertise and encourages graduates to join renowned ensembles, orchestras, and academic faculties worldwide.
Eastman is also brimming with teaching talent. Professor Steven Doane has performed at Carnegie Hall & the Kennedy Center and holds a visiting professor position at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
David Ying leads his own strings quarter and has shepherded talents like Alisa Weilerstein into the world’s best orchestral groups. Joining them is Rosemary Elliott, who has served as the Artistic Director of the Morning Chamber Music program at Eastman since 2005.
The newest hire at Eastman for cello, Joseph Johnson, has been the Principal Cellist of the Toronto Symphony for nearly 15 years.
Colburn School (Los Angeles, CA)
The Colburn School offers a remarkable opportunity for all accepted musicians: a world-class education completely free of tuition.
At the heart of Colburn’s cello program is a commitment to performance. Students regularly showcase their skills in prestigious Los Angeles venues, including the Soraya and the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Leading this exceptional program is Professor Clive Greensmith, a cellist who was the former Principal Cello of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and a member of the esteemed Tokyo String Quartet.
Recognized as one of the preeminent cello instructors globally, Greensmith plays a pivotal role in shaping the careers of Colburn’s students. His students win major jobs annually, with a former student of his in the past few months winning a job with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, one of the foremost orchestras in the nation.
Rice University Shepherd School of Music (Houston, TX)
Collaboration is a cornerstone of the Rice experience, with ensemble practice playing a crucial role in developing students’ interpersonal musical skills.
For exceptionally talented and ambitious students, the school offers an innovative five-year honors program, allowing them to earn both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music concurrently.
Among the exceptional cello faculty members is Desmond Hoebig. Hoebig’s illustrious career includes solo performances with renowned orchestras worldwide.
Other faculty members include Norman Fischer, who has been nominated for two Grammy awards, and Brinton Averil Smith, a successful cello teacher whose students have won jobs in the Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and San Diego Symphonies, among others.
Northwestern University Bienen School of Music (Evanston, IL)
Northwestern’s program’s core includes weekly private lessons, studio classes, and abundant performance opportunities across the school’s roster of ensembles.
While Bienen offers study-abroad opportunities in prestigious European music centers like Amsterdam, Vienna, and Milan, it also attracts exceptional talent to its own campus.
One of the longtime faculty members at Bienen is Hans Jørgen Jensen, an internationally acclaimed teacher.
Jensen’s accolades, including the Artist Teacher Award and U.S. Presidential Scholar Teacher Recognition Award, underscore his status as one of the world’s most dedicated and effective cello instructors.
The success of Jensen’s teaching methodology is evident in his students’ achievements. Many secure positions in top symphony orchestras, while others claim first-place prizes in prestigious competitions such as the Klein Competition and Sphinx Competition.
Another cello faculty member, Wei Yu, has been the principal cellist of the Detroit Symphony for a decade.
Manhattan School of Music (New York, NY)
The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) offers cello students a unique and prestigious learning environment, distinguished by its long-standing relationship with the renowned American String Quartet.
Since 1984, this esteemed ensemble has been in residence at MSM, providing students with invaluable mentorship and performance insights.
Alan Stepansky, a cornerstone of MSM’s cello faculty, who we mentioned earlier in this article for Peabody, brings a wealth of professional experience to his teaching. His illustrious career includes positions as Principal Cellist of the Boston Pops and Associate Principal Cellist of the New York Philharmonic.
Other faculty members in cello at MSM include Philippe Muller, who has been teaching for over 40 years at various institutions; Julia Lichten, who has recorded for Sony Classical; and Qiang Tu, a member of the New York Philharmonic.
Indiana University Jacobs School of Music (Bloomington, IN)
The Jacobs School of Music grants diverse undergraduate cello course sequences, like the BS in music and an outside field. This degree encourages multi-talented students to pursue studies in complementary disciplines like audio engineering and sound production.
As an alternative for cello performers with an established career, the PD in chamber music emphasizes major-level lessons and ensemble participation, focusing on chamber music repertoire. Indiana University’s string department hosts annual solo competitions, allowing students to showcase their talents.
Distinguished faculty members like soloist Brandon Vamos facilitate smooth transitions for students planning to graduate and start their performance careers. He has collaborated with famous artists like Yo-Yo Ma and earned a Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance with the Pacifica Quartet.
USC Thornton School of Music (Los Angeles, CA)
Since the early 1900s, the USC Thornton Symphony has stood as a premier ensemble at the School of Music, leaving a significant artistic impact in Los Angeles.
Led by Carl St. Clair and Sharon Lavery, the symphony collaborates with esteemed figures like John Williams. Interdepartmental partnerships and collaborations with Thornton Opera and student-composers offer diverse experiences for cello undergraduates and grad students.
Cellist Ben Hong, who joined the LA Philharmonic at age 24, guides USC cello students to careers in music.
Hong (who also teaches at Colburn) has the distinction of having trained Jamie Foxx and other actors in the 2009 film The Soloist, where his music was featured on the soundtrack. The LA Lakers requested him specifically to perform “Hallelujah” in memory of Kobe Bryant.
Other faculty members include Ralph Kirshbaum, who has performed with the orchestras of Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and many others; Grammy-nominated cellist Seth Parker Woods; and cellist Andrew Shulman, former Principal Cellist of the LA Phil.
