3. Yale School of Music – New Haven, CT
Notable Faculty: Aldo Parisot
Having taught at the Yale School of Music since 1958, Aldo Parisot has fathered many generations of prominent young cello orchestral musicians and soloists, including acclaimed soloist Ralph Kirshbaum, Detroit Symphony Orchestra principal Robert deMaine, and cellist Jian Wang, among 100s of others. Aldo has conducted, since 1983, Yale’s student ensemble “Yale Cellos,” an orchestra of 20 cellists, which has been Grammy-nominated. His legendary presence on the Yale campus continues to inspire and prepare cellists for a career in the upper echelons of classical performance.
2. New England Conservatory – Boston, MA
Notable Faculty: Paul Katz, Natasha Brofsky
The cellist of one of the most famous string quartets of all time, the Cleveland Quartet, an ensemble which has performed all over the world in 2,500 performances, is a master artist of the cello, particularly in the realm of chamber music, and a premiere exponent of the instrument to students of several generations. Widely considered one of the most desirable cello teachers along with Richard Aaron, Katz has a remarkable gift for both his instrument as well as for teaching; his students have both entered the professional orchestral realm and have formed some of the most important chamber ensembles in the country, including the Jupiter, Ying, and Biava Quartets.
1. TIE: Juilliard School & University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Notable Faculty (Michigan): Richard Aaron, Anthony Elliot
Notable Faculty (Juilliard): Richard Aaron, Darrett Adkins, Timothy Eddy, Joel Krosnick
Students of Richard Aaron have gone on to pre-eminent, successful careers in both chamber and orchestral performance. Nearly every year, a student of Richard Aaron wins a position in a top ensemble; some of his students have held cello positions in the Chicago, St. Louis, and Seattle Symphonies, as well as in the orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera. A widely regarded teacher, he has been invited to give masterclasses all over the entire world. Some of the quartets his students have performed in include the Biava, American, and Aelous string quartets, all well-renowned chamber ensembles. Many of his students have also won top prizes, including the Naumburg Prize; Richard Aaron is generally regarded as one of the most popular cello teachers in the country.
At Juilliard, a number of other top cello teachers outside of Richard Aaron, including Darrett Adkins and Timothy Eddy, are among the many faculty that have graduated some of the world’s finest cellists in the last few decades.