About cellist Michael Mermagen  

MICHAEL MERMAGEN

MICHAEL MERMAGEN made his debut at the age of sixteen with Baltimore Symphony Orchestra after receiving its Young Soloist’s Award. He studied at Peabody Preparatory, Peabody Conservatory, and The Juilliard School where, as concerto competition winner, he performed with Juilliard Orchestra under Otto-Werner Mueller in Alice Tully Hall. He was soloist and principal cello with National Orchestra of New York, and performed in Violoncello Society of New York Master Classes lead by Yo-Yo Ma, Janos Starker, and Bernard Greenhouse.

Michael toured regularly with The Aspen Ensemble, the American Chamber Players and Arista Piano Trio, collaborated with the San Francisco Ballet, and was featured as cello soloist for the New York premiere of two works by the renowned choreographer Mark Morris. He was a member of Rome Trio at Catholic University, and currently performs with the Aspen String Trio, formerly ensemble-in-esidence at the University of Baltimore.

As an artist-faculty member at the Aspen Music Festival and School, Michael has been principal cellist of the Aspen Chamber Symphony for more than twenty-five seasons. Chamber music partners there include Joshua Bell, Sarah Chang, Jeremy Denk, Vladimer Feltzman, Lynn Harrell, Robert McDuffie, Susanne Mentzer, Anton Nel, Nadja Salerno- Sonnenberg, Gil Shaham, The Takács Quartet, and the Weilerstein family. He has also collaborated with many distinguished conductors, including Comissiona, Conlon, Levine, Maazel, Marriner, McGegan, Robertson, Skrowaczewski, and Zinman.

For over twenty-five years, Michael has toured and given recitals, concerto performances, master classes, and chamber music performances around the world.  He has recorded on the Arabesque label, and will soon release Music of Martinu for Naxos label with the Aspen String Trio.

Formerly at The Catholic University of America, where he was Associate Professor of Cello and Chamber Music, Head of the Instrumental Division, and Adviser in Orchestral Instruments, Mike is now Professor of Cello at UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance.

Professor of Cello, UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
Artist Faculty, The Aspen Music Festival & School
Principal Cello, Aspen Chamber Symphony
M.M. - The Juilliard School
B.M. - The Peabody Conservatory of Music