Christina Daysog Concert Artists
Julie Albers
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Julie Albers, cello

Biography

American cellist Julie Albers is recognized for her superlative artistry, her charismatic and radiant performing style, and her intense musicianship. She was born into a musical family in Longmont, Colorado and began violin studies at the age of two with her mother, switching to cello at four. She moved to Cleveland during her junior year of high school to pursue studies through the Young Artist Program at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she studied with Richard Aaron. Miss Albers soon was awarded the Grand Prize at the XIII International Competition for Young Musicians in Douai, France, and as a result toured France as soloist with Orchestre Symphonique de Douai.

Julie Albers made her major orchestral debut with the Cleveland Orchestra in 1998, and thereafter has performed in recital and with orchestras throughout North America, Europe, Korea, Taiwan, Australia, and New Zealand. In 2001, she won Second Prize in Munich's Internationalen Musikwettbewerbes der ARD, and was also awarded the Wilhelm-Weichsler-Musikpreis der Stadt Osnabruch.  While in Germany, she recorded solo and chamber music of Kodaly for the Bavarian Radio, performances that have been heard throughout Europe. In 2003, Miss Albers was named the first Gold Medal Laureate of South Korea's Gyeongnam International Music Competition, winning the $25,000 Grand Prize.

In North America, Miss Albers has performed with many important orchestras and ensembles. Recent performances have included exciting debuts on the San Francisco Performances series and with the Grant Park Music Festival where she performed Penderecki's Concerto Grosso for 3 cellos with Mr. Penderecki conducting. Past seasons have included concerto appearances with the orchestras of Colorado, Indianapolis, San Diego, Seattle, Vancouver; St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and Munchener Kammerorchester among others.  During the 2014 -15 season, performances included appearances with the Winnipeg Symphony, Oklahoma Philharmonic, San Antonio Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and Albany Symphony where she premiered a new concerto by Michael Torke.  Upcoming performances include recitals with pianist Orion Weiss at the Schubert Club in St. Paul, MN and the Orange County Philharmonic Society in Costa Mesa, CA along with appearances with orchestras such as the Colorado Music Festival orchestra, the Ann Arbor Symphony, the Rochester and Rhode Island Philharmonics, amongst others.

In addition to solo performances, Miss Albers regularly participates in chamber music festivals around the world.  2009 marked the end of a three year residency with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Two. She is currently active with the Albers String Trio and the Cortona Trio. Teaching is also a very important part of Miss Albers' musical life. She currently is Assistant Professor and holds the Mary Jean and Charles Yates Cello Chair at the McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia.  Miss Albers was named principal cellist of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra in 2014 and begins her position there in Fall 2015. 

Miss Albers' debut album with Orion Weiss includes works by Rachmaninoff, Beethoven, Schumann, Massenet, and Piatiagorsky and is available on the Artek Label. Julie Albers performs on a N.F. Vuillaume cello made in 1872 and makes her home in Minneapolis with her husband, Bourbon, and their dog, Dozer.

Website: www.cellistjuliealbers.com

November 2015. Please discard any previously dated materials.