Nathan Whittaker, cello, has been described as “a soloist that was not merely good but rather extraordinary”, with “musicianship of the highest order.” (SSJT) Mr. Whittaker enjoys a unique and diverse career as a concert soloist, chamber musician, recitalist, teacher, and historical cello specialist. Mr. Whittaker served as the principal cellist of the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic and Columbus Symphony as well associate principal cellist with the Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra. As a chamber musician has performed in various music festivals throughout North America and Europe including a featured performance in Graz, Austria. He has enjoyed performing with various chamber ensembles across the country and is a founding member of the Seattle-based Op. 20 String Quartet. Mr. Whittaker’s alter ego is that of an early-music specialist. Currently, he is a member and featured soloist of the Seattle Baroque Orchestra and the Seattle Baroque Soloists and performs regularly with the Pacific Baroque Orchestra (Vancouver B.C.) and Portland Baroque Orchestra. As a member of Plaine & Easie, an Elizabethan era quartet, he won the Grand “Unicorn” Prize in the 2009 EMA Medieval and Renaissance Competition in New York City. Over the past year, Mr. Whittaker has made appearances at the Oregon Bach Festival, Indianapolis Early Music Festival, Vancouver Early Music Festival, and the American Handel Festival. Mr. Whittaker has served on the faculty of the Indiana University String Academy, and was the founding lecturer for the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic “Behind the Scenes” series. He continues to be in demand with recent lecture appearances at the Pacific Northwest Viols Conference, the Gallery Concert series, and the University of Washington. He recently joined the faculty at The Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle and the Academy of Music Northwest. Nathan Whittaker graduated Cum Laude from Indiana University with a Bachelor and Masters of Music Degree in Cello Performance. He is currently a doctoral candidate in cello performance with Toby Saks at the University of Washington. His private instructors have included Helga Winold, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, Stanley Ritchie, Toby Saks and Peter Wiley. He can be heard on CBC and NPR broadcasts including “Performance Today”, has recorded with the Harmonia and ATMA Classique labels, and is featured on the debut recording of the Seattle Baroque Soloists slated for release in the fall of 2011.
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