Mark Kosower

Mark Kosower is an internationally renowned American cellist. He is Principal Cello of the Cleveland Orchestra and is on the faculty at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Prior to these appointments he was Solo Cellist of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra in Germany from 2006-2010 and was Professor of Cello and Chamber Music at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music from 2005-07.

He has been called "An exceptionally intelligent and sensitive cellist" by the Chicago Tribune, and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer has said, "It was though he touched the instrument and sound flowed out; relaxed, shining, round, extraordinarily beautiful, but at the same time full of character and expression."^[1]

Early life and education

Kosower is the son of Paul and Janet Kosower. His father was a professor of organ and cello and his mother was an elementary school teacher. He was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and graduated from North High School.

He was introduced to the cello at the age of one-and-a-half by his father who continued to be his primary teacher throughout his youth. Kosower went on to study with János Starker at Indiana University and Joel Krosnick at the Juilliard School.^[2]

Performance

Mr. Kosower has appeared as soloist with the symphony orchestras of Detroit, Florida, Houston, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oregon, Phoenix, and Seattle; the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Ravinia Festival Orchestra, and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, among others. International appearances include the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the China National Symphony Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan, the Kansai Philharmonic, the Orchestre de Paris, the Kwa-Zulu Natal Philharmonic, and the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra.^[1]

As a recitalist Mr. Kosower has performed at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, at the Aspen Music Festival, at the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and on the Great Performer’s Series at Lincoln Center. He has also given solo performances in some of the world’s most prestigious venues including the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, Frankfurt’s Alte Oper, Berlin’s Komische Oper, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, the Theatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro, and in New York’s Avery Fisher Hall. He has recorded for Ambitus, Delos, Naxos, and VAI including a 2011 Naxos release of the Ginastera Cello Concertos with Lothar Zagrosek and the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra.^[3]

Along with his father and sister, Mr. Kosower has toured the United States and Europe as a member of the Dolce Cello Trio.

Awards and recognition

Mr. Kosower has been a top prize winner in both the Rostropovich and Pablo Casals International Cello competitions including a special prize in both competitions for best interpretation of the newly commissioned works by Marco Stroppa and Cristóbal Halffter. He has also been the Grand Prize winner of both the Irving Klein International String Competition and the WAMSO Competition of the Minnesota Orchestra.^[4] In addition, Mr. Kosower has been the recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant and a Sony Grant.

References