As a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, I have enjoyed performing with the world’s greatest conductors for 25 years. As a soloist, I have performed with the Chicago Symphony under the baton of Charles Dutoit, at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, and, described by the New York Times as “a player of formidable expressive gifts,” premiered Dai Fujikura’s Cello Concerto at Lincoln Center. I collaborated with Yo Yo Ma, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, at the Marlboro Music Festival and have taught at DePaul School of Music, Notre Dame University, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Banff Centre for the Arts.

During my tenure at the CSO I developed major interests in contemporary music and improvisation. To me, these practices only enrich and do not exclude each other. Recently I performed in recital at Carolina Performing Arts, was commissioned to write a piece for 11 improvisers for the Instigation Festival in Chicago, and released my record ‘STIR’ with guitarist Bill MacKay on Drag City Records.

I have enjoyed performing the cannon of contemporary classical music and collaborating with living composers creating new works as a member of the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) for the past 17 years.

When I was 16, I completely changed my technical setup, a move that I credit my current success as a cellist to. Because I did this at a relative late age, I am very aware of what I changed, how to make such changes, how they come to mature, and I am able to articulate the important aural tradition of technique and etude study. I'm particularly apt at technique trouble shooting--let's work on a passage in a free trial meeting. As a member of the CSO, I have adjudicated countless auditions and can offer insightful and effective audition and excerpt coaching.

Before joining the CSO, I completed my studies with Lynn Harrell at the University of Southern California, and Laurence Lesser at the New England Conservatory of Music. www.katinkakleijn.com