Dubbed a "Classical Rock Star" by the press, cellist Joshua Roman has earned a reputation for performing a wide range of repertoire with an absolute commitment to communicating the essence of the music at its most organic level. ... read full bio

Dubbed a "Classical Rock Star" by the press, cellist Joshua Roman has earned a reputation for performing a wide range of repertoire with an absolute commitment to communicating the essence of the music at its most organic level.

Since winning the Principal chair in the cello section of the Seattle Symphony at the age of 22, he has become a favorite of Seattle music lovers, with sold out solo and chamber performances throughout the city.  When not performing in or in front of a Symphony Orchestra, Joshua is likely to be found on the stage of a club, performing music as varied as jazz or rock, as well as chamber music or a solo sonata by Kodaly or Bach.    His fearless pursuit of new challenges has led him to expand his horizons and embark full-time on his growing solo classical career.  His interest in and exploration of new music have led Joshua to work with many composers in performance of concerti, chamber music, and solo works, including works of his own.  Among the composers with whom Joshua has collaborated are Samuel Adler, Gabriela Lena Frank, Syd Hodkinson, Aaron Jay Kernis, Paul Schoenfeld and David Stock.

As a concerto soloist, he has performed with the Seattle Symphony, Spokane Symphony, Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra, and the Wyoming Symphony.   The 2008/09 season will include, among others, performances with the Edmonton Symphony, Quad City Symphony, Stamford Symphony and a return to the Seattle Symphony for the premiere of the David Stock Cello Concerto.

In addition to his solo work, Joshua is an avid chamber music performer and has enjoyed participating in the Seattle Chamber Music Society.  In the spring of 2007 Joshua was named Artistic Director of TownMusic, an experimental chamber music series at Town Hall in Seattle, which allows him to create programming that reflects

the many influences on his music making. He also has enjoyed collaborations with musicians such as Sergei Babayan, Earl Carlyss, Franklin Cohen, Desmond Hoebig, William Preucil, Ann Schein, Joaquin Valdepenas, and Christian Zacharias.

Joshua’s desire to communicate takes him beyond diverse concert venues.  In the summer of 2006 in response to his own growing awareness of the atrocities in Africa – specifically Rwanda – he traveled with his violin-playing siblings to Uganda where they played chamber music in schools, HIV/Aids centers and displacement camps, bringing a message of hope through music.

Joshua began playing at the age of three.  He studied with Lacy McLarry, concertmaster of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, beginning his cello studies on a 1⁄4 size cello.  He played his first public recital at the age of ten.  Homeschooled until the age of 16, when he left to pursue his musical studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Joshua received his Bachelor Degree in Cello Performance in 2004 studying with Richard Aaron. In 2005 he also received his Masters Degree from the CIM, studying with Desmond Hoebig, Principal Cellist of the Cleveland Orchestra.  Joshua frequently performs on cellos from the collection of David Fulton.