Brannon Cho Artist Diploma Recital

Described by Arto Noras as “a finished artist, ready to play in any hall in the world,” cellist Brannon Cho has emerged as an outstanding musician of his generation. He is the First Prize winner of the prestigious 6th International Paulo Cello Competition in Finland, and is also a prize winner of the Queen Elisabeth, Naumburg, and Cassadó International Cello Competitions.

Brannon has appeared as a soloist with many of the top orchestras around the world, including the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Brussels Philharmonic, and Orchestre Philharmonique Royale Liège, under world-renowned conductors such as Susanna Mälkki, Stéphane Denève, and Christian Arming.

As a lover of chamber music, Brannon has shared the stage with artists such as Christian Tetzlaff, Gidon Kremer, and Joshua Bell. His recent festival appearances include Marlboro, Kronberg, Music@Menlo, Verbier, and Gstaad. In addition, Brannon is a winner of the 2015 Center for Musical Excellence Performing Arts Grant, a scholarship recipient at the Internationale Musikakademie in Liechtenstein, and a touring member of Anne-Sophie Mutter’s Virtuosi.

Brannon’s recent and upcoming solo performance highlights include debuts with the Minnesota Orchestra, the Vancouver Chamber Music Society, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Kumho Art Hall in Seoul, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall, the International Cello Institute, and the Matinée Musicale in Cincinnati.

Born in New Jersey, Brannon received his Bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music under Hans Jørgen Jensen. He is now one of only two candidates for the prestigious Artist Diploma program at the New England Conservatory, where he studies with Laurence Lesser. Brannon performs on a rare cello made by Antonio Casini in 1668 in Modena, Italy.