Katelyn Moorman
Staff Writer
There are very few feelings that hold the same amount of anticipation as the hum of cello strings rings through an auditorium.
The Cello Festival at the University of Wyoming proves this statement to be true with the hundreds of cellists, and cello enthusiasts who take part in the festival.
“My motivation is to enhance the cello education in the state of Wyoming,” said Beth Vanderborgh, artistic director for the event and assistant professor for the Cello Studio. “I want to provide some kind of cello event to get people excited…”
This is the fourth consecutive year that the Music Department has hosted the UW Cello Festival, which started when funding came in through Funding for the Imminent Artists.
Vanderborgh said the festival gained attention after they were able to get Lynn Harrell, a world renowned cellist, to come to the event.
“Being able to bring in Lynn Harrell drew a lot of people from all across the region. From Idaho, Nebraska, Utah, Arizona and, of course, a lot of people from Wyoming,” said Vanderborgh.
Harrell has attended the UW Cello Festival for the past three years, however, this year Vanderborgh said David Geber, another eminent cellist, will be attending as the special guest. He is coming from the Manhattan School of Music.
Though the group is different every year, Vanderborgh said a large portion of the cellists tend to be high school students from Wyoming and Colorado. There is around 10 to 20 UW cellists in attendance, Vanderborgh said.
“Besides the high school students, there is an assortment of professionals, amateurs and ‘cello lovers’,” Vanderborgh said.
This year the focus is on German classical music, however, there will be contemporary music within the workshops.
“We’re branching out a little bit for our techniques workshop,” Vanderborgh said. “I think the kids are going to like it.”
Two UW graduates are leading a technique workshop with their band the Woodpile, an indie-folk-rock band which originated in Laramie, in which participants will have the opportunity to learn and perform a song with the band.
There will be several cello choirs performing on Dec. 7, including an intermediate-level choir, an advanced-level choir and a combined choir. Vanderborgh said she expects around 60 cellists to be on stage for the combined performance.
“There’s nothing like it in the entire front range,” Vanderborgh said. “For the cello community, it’s a great day of inspiration and learning and getting to know cellists from all across the region. For our local community, it’s an incredible opportunity to hear one of the biggest cello choirs around play.”
The UW Cello Festival is an in-reach and out-reach event which is designed to get people onto campus. A community is created, Vanderborgh said, between the cellists who return annually to see the festival and to perform within it. Cellists of all levels are able to learn new things, improve their technique and perform with world-class musicians.
The concert is free to attend and will be held on Dec. 7 at 5 p.m. at the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts.
