The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews cellist Alisa Weilerstein. Alisa is enjoying a career as an international soloist and chamber musician. In this interview, she shares what the experience of being recognized with a MacArthur “genius grant” Fellowship in 2011 was like, and how it impacted her career. She also talks about how she grew up surrounded by music, never had any doubt she wanted to be a professional cellist, her advice for building an international career and much...

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews cellist Emilio Colón. Emilio is Professor of Cello at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. After getting off to a rocky start with his teacher Janos Starker, Emilio talks about how he felt that he was dead last amongst his peers on the cello, which in turn motivated him to work as hard as he could to prove that he had what it took to be successful. Shortly after graduating from Indiana, Janos Starker called him and invited hi...

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews cellist Sterling Elliot. Sterling is the 2021 Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient and the winner of the Senior Division of the 2019 National Sphinx Competition. He shares about his journey growing up as the cellist in the family string quartet, starting at the age of 5, and he speaks about the impact of winning both the junior and senior divisions of the Sphinx Competition. Sterling also talks about how he has navigated the first co...

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews violist, violinist, and composer, Christian Colberg. Christian is currently the Principal Violist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. He shares his amazing story about winning a job in the Baltimore Symphony after only playing the viola for 3 weeks, his journey from there to Cincinnati 17 years later, his compositional philosophy, tips for taking successful auditions, and much more! For more information on Christian: https://www.ch...

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews cellist Norman Fischer. Norman is Professor of Cello, and Chair of Chamber Music at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. Norman shares his story of how he first developed his insatiable love of contemporary music. He also talks about his journey forming the Naumburg winning Concord String Quartet to joining the faculty at Dartmouth, then Oberlin, and he gives the inside story of how Rice became one of the most sought after mus...

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews cellist Alex Croxton, Alex is currently a faculty member at Mannes Prep, the Special Music School at the Kaufman Center, the Head of Cello at the School for Strings, and he has a full private studio in NYC. Alex shares about the impact the Suzuki method has had on his ability to work successfully with his students, and how it led to his interest in becoming certified as a teacher trainer. He also speaks about his own journey as a beginner...

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews Bassist Andrew Sommer. Andrew is in his second season as a bassist in the Chicago Symphony, after spending 4 years as Principal of the Richmond Symphony. He shares his story about growing up among musician parents, with his mom as his earliest music teacher, his dad paving the way as a bassist in the Atlanta Symphony and much more. For more information on Andrew Sommer: https://cso.org/about/performers/cso-musicians/strings/bass/and...

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews Cellist Mike Block. Mike shares about his incredible multi faceted life working not just as a cellist who walks around on stage while playing, but also as a singer, composer, and educator. He also shares how he found success on such a non traditional classical music path, why he was motivated to go this direction in his career, and much more! For more information on Mike Block check out his website: https://www.mikeblockmusic.com/ ...

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews Cellist Julie Albers. She has been the principal cellist of The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra since 2014. They talk about her experience growing up in a family where all of her siblings played instruments, how she ended up in an orchestra, forming the Albers Trio with her sisters, her teaching philosophy, and much more. For more information on Julie: https://content.thespco.org/people/julie-albers/ You can also find Julie on Facebook: ...

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews Cellist and Conductor Eric Jacobsen. Eric is a cellist in Yo-Yo Ma’s SilkRoad Ensemble, the Artistic Director and Co-founder of the Knights Chamber Orchestra and also the Music Director of the Virginia Symphony and the Orlando Philharmonic. They talk about his incredible career on the cello and how he transitioned to a conducting career. Eric shares stories about working with Yo-Yo Ma, starting multiple musical ensembles, and studying wit...

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews Nathan Chan, Assistant Principal Cello of the Seattle Symphony. They talk about the incredible social media following he has built over the years by creating insightful, interesting and amusing videos around the cello. Nathan also shares his experience working towards the goal of winning a position in a major symphony orchestra and much more. For more information on Nathan Chan check out his website: https://nathanchan.com/ You can also f...

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews Blaise Dejardin, principal cellist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. They talk about what he has been up to over the past 3 years, joining the faculty of his alma mater, the New England Conservatory, his teaching philosophy, filling three openings in the cello section, and much more. For more information on Blaise Dejardin check out his website www.BlaiseDejardin.com For his cello arrangements: www.opuscello.com Copies of his book are als...

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews cellist Paul Watkins. Paul is currently the Professor of Cello at the Yale School of Music. He shares his journey going back to landing Principal Cellist of the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the age of 20, his work as a member of the Nash Ensemble, joining the legendary Emerson String quartet, and even taking up the baton as a conductor, winning the Leeds Conducting Competition in 2002. For more information on Paul: https://music.ya...

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews cellist Richard Aaron. Richard joined the faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory in the fall of 2024. He shares his incredible journey from landing an orchestra position at the age of 18, to becoming one of the most sought after teachers of our generation! Having been on faculty at the University of Michigan, the Juilliard School, the Cleveland Institute of Music and the New England Conservatory., Richard shares the keys to success on ...

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews cellist Julia Lichten. She has been on the faculty of the Manhattan School of Music since 1989. Julia shares how she first fell in love with the cello, her teaching philosophy and offers sage advice on how to put your best foot forward when applying to summer music programs. For more information on Julia: https://www.msmnyc.edu/faculty/julia-lichten/If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition ...

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews Keyboardist Chris Fischer, who recently joined the famed jazz fusion group Spyro Gyra. They talk about the moment he discovered this band and how his life was never the same. He shares his amazing journey, modeling his career after this style of music, to living out a dream he never fully allowed himself to imagine, replacing his idol Tom Schuman and actually joining the group! For more information on Chris: https://spyrogyra.com/ban...

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews Joshua Luty, who is the Principal Librarian of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. They talk about the path to this unique profession, whats involved in the day to day life of this job, and the ongoing process to preserve the historic copies of this music.For more information on Joshua: https://www.aso.org/artists/detail/joshua-lutyYou can also follow Joshua on Instagram and Facebook @joshtakovichIf you are looking for in person/virtual cello...

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews violinist Lauren Roth, who recently joined the Atlanta Symphony as the new Asst. Concertmaster. They talk about her past experience as Concertmaster of the Tucson Symphony, and how it relates to her current position. Lauren also offers advice on how to prepare for an orchestral audition. For more information on Lauren: https://www.laurenrothviolin.com/ For more information on Lauren's coach, Jo Zakany at Mindful Opus: www.mindfu...

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews Internationally Renowned Cellist Steven Isserlis. After appearing as the Inaugural guest of this podcast in March 2021, Steven returns to celebrate the 100th episode of The Cello Sherpa Podcast and answer questions submitted by audience members. For more information on Steven: http://stevenisserlis.com/If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out http://www.theCelloSherpa.c...

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews Cellist James Kim. He is the Asst. Professor of Cello at the Hugh Hodgson School of Music at the University of Georgia. They talk about his journey on the cello, his teaching philosophy, and his extremely fortunate path to his new teaching position. He replaces David Starkweather who spent 41 years in that position. For more information on James: https://www.jameskimcello.com/You can also connect with James on Facebook or Instagram ...