Texas Cellos

"Cellists are a unique bunch, with a shared love for sound, expression, and friendship in music making"

It is the mission of the TEXAS CELLOS to advance cello playing throughout the world. Texas Cellos, Texas Cello School | an Int'l Institute, Texas Cello Grand Prix International Competition, Music@Mill Festival, and Metamorphosis Dallas Chamber Orchestra embody an enduring commitment to artistic excellence and the discovery and cultivation of young talent.

What is your organization's vision?

Texas Cellos was created in the fall of 2020 from a genuine hunger for in-person music making. We wanted to create a musical outlet to push back against the general apathy growing among colleagues and students and decided to found a cello choir to share the beauty of the CELLO!

Born from a true need for live socially distanced concerts in April of 2021 the Texas Cellos took the $11,000 tuition from 33 cello students and founded Music@Mill Festival: ‘Music that gives you a heartbeat in an old industrial space’.

Since then Music@Mill has presented four festivals showcasing genre defying artists including jazz artists Scott and Toni Tixier, the Miro and Escher String Quartets, and the Texas Cellos performing Beatles, Radiohead and Metallica to sold out audiences selling nearly 5000 tickets in 16 concerts.

In line with our mission to advance music and cello playing throughout the world, in 2021 Texas Cellos founded an educational institute, Texas Cello School, 'a self-sufficient school welcoming musicians to come and focus, create and grow'. Now in its third season the institute draws students and internationally acclaimed faculty from across the world to McKinney, TX to share a time of learning and musical discovery where professionals and students perform side by side.

Our newest venture is a conductor-less chamber orchestra. On July 9, 2023 Texas Cellos debuted Metamorphosis Dallas as the opening concert for Basically Beethoven Festival in Moody Performance Hall. 

"Impressive new chamber orchestra opens Basically Beethoven Festival. Metamorphosis Dallas Chamber Orchestra.. excellent!"

-Scott Cantrell, DALLAS MORNING NEWS.

The chamber orchestra will be democratic, with rotating principal players. Members of the chamber orchestra are musicians from the leading Dallas, and Ft Worth orchestras, respected chamber musicians and international prize winners.

Organizational History

Since our founding the Texas Cellos has presented 28 concerts with 7500+ attendees, four Music@Mill Festivals, and three Texas Cello School Institutes with 300+ elementary-postgrad cello students enrolled. ( >70% received scholarships ) 

The ability to understand the beauty of music and the opportunity to learn to master an instrument are truly some of the best gifts that you can give.

The Texas Cellos with its sub organizations are an extension of this philosophy. We believe that it is important to gather musicians of all ages and levels who share a common interest, where the young are inspired by the mature, and a world class faculty provides inspiration for students and audiences alike. Texas Cellos will continue to create an ecosystem for musicians to share their knowledge, and musical wisdom on and off the stage.

Growth plan

To attract more international talent and to put us on the map around the globe, in 2024 Texas Cellos will launch the Texas Cello Grand Prix International Competition, a high-level event open to cellists of all nationalities aged 16–30. In launching the Texas Cello Grand Prix, with the highest level jury, competitors and prizes Texas Cellos will define itself on the international music scene bringing to Texas what is usually only available in New York City or Europe.

Since 2020, with limited funding Texas Cellos has consistently presented programs of the highest level international level artists to sold out audiences, and recruited and talented students to Texas Cello School.

The cello choir itself is transitioning to an invitation only professional group, being hired around the country to perform shows in notable venues. The Institute continues to grow in reputation around the world and to attract the highest level teachers and students.

In April 2024 Metamorphosis Dallas Chamber Orchestra will present a GALA concert with Steven Isserlis as soloist.

Under the umbrella of TEXAS CELLOS our various sub organizations are growing into a music foundation similar to the CLIBURN but for cello.

Philosophy

Each person is an individual and deserves to be treated uniquely.