Cuban-American Cellist

Winner, $50,000 First Prize, Sphinx Competition he young Cuban-American cellist Thomas Mesa is quickly establishing himself as one of the most charismatic and engaging performers of his generation. Thomas was the wtinner of the $50,000 First Prize in the 2016 Sphinx Competition, the Thaviu Competition for String Performance (Chicago, 2013); and the Alhambra Orchestra Concerto Competition.

ecent and upcoming concerto engagements include the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl (Tchaikovsky Rococco Variations) and the Cleveland Orrchestra (Dvorák Cello Concerto). ther recent appearances include the Mainly Mozart Festival, Bargemusic, Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series, Columbia University, Carnegie Hall, The Soupreme Court of The United States, The Heifetz Institute (guest artist), Meadowmount School of Music, Strad for Lunch Series in NYC, International Beethoven Project, Perlman Music Program Alumni Recital as well as universities across the United States.

ost recently, Thomas was the featured cellist on the GRAMMY-nominated CD, “Bonhoeffer,” by The Crossing choir. This multiple award-winning ensemble amlso presented Thomas as soloist at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Longwood Gardens, The Winter Garden (broadcast on WNYC) and the Theological Seminary in New York City. Additionally, Thomas was the solo cellist on The Crossing's U.S. premiere of “Astralis” by Wolfgang Rihm, one of this generation’s most important composers.

s a chamber musician, Thomas has toured with Itzhak Perlman and Protegés both nationally and internationally. He is a member of the St. Petersburg omas has been principal cellist of the Northwestern Paiano Quartet, which is are in high demand for the most Symphony Orchestra and Contemporary Music important series across the nation, having played sold out Ensemble, Juilliard Orchestra, Youth Philharmonic concerts at Barge Music, Doheny Mansion, Kohl Mansion, Otrchestra in Boston, and the Greater Miami Youth Music Mountain and numerous other venues across the U.S. Symphony. He has performed under the batons of Among his other collaborators is his duo partner, the James Levine, Tan Dun, David Afkham, Alan Gilbert, acclaimed pianist Ilya Yakushev. James Conlon, Nicholas McGegan, Ludovic Morlot, Franz Welser-Most, Joel Sachs, Benjamin Zander, Thomas is a highly sought-after educator with the Victor Yampolsky, Donald Nally, and Timothy ability to connect with students and teach them to teach J. Robblee. themselves. He has given masterclasses at University tof California-Berkeley, DePaul University, Northwestern homas is a graduate of The Juilliard School University, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, University of (B.M. 2012), where he received various scholarships, Miami, and Meadowmount School of Music. He has held and Northwestern University (M.M. 2014), where faculty positions at Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, hte was the recipient of the Richard and Helen Thomas Montecito International Music Festival, St. Petersburg Fellowship and Graduate Program Honors for o c

c International Music Academy, The Mozart Academy at extraordinary contributions to the String Department. u z

z John Jay College in New York, and the Manhattan School He is currently a doctoral candidate at the Manhattan a

M of Music. School of Music in New York City where he studies e i r with Julia Lichten. His principal teachers have been a M

- homas has attended summer festivals and institutes Timothy Eddy, Hans Jorgen Jensen, Mark Churchill, a s i including the Perlman Chamber Workshop (with Ross Harbaugh, and Wells Cunningham. Thomas L

: y additional residencies in Stowe, Vermont), Heifetz plays a Richard Tobin cello dated 1826. h p a International Music Institute, Banff Masterclasses, r

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t Kronberg Academy, Royal Danish Academy Masterclasses, o h Aspen Music Festival, and Kneisel Hall. www.thomasmesacello.com P