Cellist Katherine Cherbas has been critically acclaimed for her “warm, full tone” (The Strad), “gutsy” playing (Strings) and “consistent polish” (The New York Times). As an orchestral musician, she has performed with the New York Philharmonic, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, and the New Jersey Symphony. For the past 20 years, she has been the principal cellist of the New York City Chamber Orchestra, performing great works of the choral repertoire at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Since 2017, she has also served as principal cellist of the Encores! Orchestra, which celebrates the history of the American musical through fully staged productions at New York’s City Center. Ms. Cherbas has performed in the pit ensembles of 27 Broadway shows, including Dear Evan Hansen, Wicked, and The Phantom of the Opera. She has recorded on the Albany, Tzadik, Harmolodic, Delos, Naxos, and Sony labels and has been heard on the Today Show, Good Morning America, BBC3 Radio, Live from Lincoln Center, Great Performances, and other national and international broadcasts.

As a teacher, Ms. Cherbas has enjoyed a varied career: working one-on-one with cello students ranging in age from 4 to 70, coaching chamber music, lecturing about music theory to college students, and serving as a teaching artist in the NYC public schools. Ms. Cherbas earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from SUNY-Stony Brook. She also holds a Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School, a B.A. from Columbia University, and she completed long-term training as a Suzuki cello teacher at the School for Strings in New York City.