Lorne Munroe (born 24 November 1924, Winnipeg) is a cellist.[1] He was principal cellist for the Philadelphia Orchestra between 1951 and 1964 and principal cellist for the New York Philharmonic from 1964 through 1996. He was a featured soloist more than 150 times during the thirty-two seasons he played for the New York Philharmonic. His last performance with the orchestra as a member of the ensemble was on February 27, 1996; although he has since returned as a guest artist.[2] He married violist Janee Munroe in 1945 with whom he had 10 sons and one daughter. His wife died 10 September 2006 after sixty-one years of marriage.[3]
When Munroe was three years old, he was taught to play the cello by using a violin with a leg attached.[1] After winning the Winnipeg Music Competition festival aged 10, when he turned 14 he was sponsored by Arthur Benjamin to attend the Royal College of Music in London from 1937–39. In his final year, he played with Benjamin a piece composed by Benjamin for him. His apprenticeship continued in Philadelphia, at the Curtis Institute of Music, including as a protégé of Gregor Piatigorsky.[1]
After serving during World War II, he completed his apprenticeship at the Curtis, and in 1949 won the Naumburg award and made his recital debut in New York in November that year. From 1949–50 he performed with the Cleveland Orchestra, before two positions as principal cello, first with the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra from 1950–51, and then the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1951.[1]
In 1964, he was invited by Leonard Bernstein to become the principal cellist of the New York Philharmonic. This period also saw him performing as a soloist.[1]
He also taught at the Juilliard School and at the Philadelphia Musical Academy (now University of the Arts).[1]