Alexander Hersh
Alexander Hersh
Alexander Hersh is an American classical cellist. He is a prizewinner of the Walter W. Naumburg International Cello Competition and has received independent critical coverage for performances and recordings in publications including New York Concert Review and The Strad.
Early life and background
Hersh was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He comes from a multigenerational family of professional string players. His grandfather, Paul Hersh, was a longtime faculty member at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and his great-grandfather, Ralph Hersh, served as principal violist of several major American orchestras, including the National Symphony Orchestra and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.
Education
Hersh studied at the New England Conservatory of Music, where his teachers included Laurence Lesser, Paul Katz, and Kim Kashkashian. After completing his studies in the United States, he received a Frank Huntington Beebe Fund fellowship to continue his education in Europe. He subsequently studied in Berlin at the Hanns Eisler Hochschule für Musik with Nicolas Altstaedt.
Career
Hersh has pursued an international career as a soloist and chamber musician. He has appeared as a soloist with orchestras including the Houston Symphony and the Boston Pops Orchestra and has performed at major venues and festivals in the United States and Europe.
In November 2022, Hersh made his Carnegie Hall recital debut at Weill Recital Hall as the winner of the Pro Musicis International Award. The performance was reviewed in New York Concert Review, which provided detailed critical commentary on his programming choices and interpretive approach, noting his engagement with both standard and contemporary repertoire.
Hersh has appeared at music festivals including the Marlboro Music Festival, Music@Menlo, Ravinia Festival, Chamber Music Northwest, Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, Kneisel Hall, and the Lucerne Festival.
Awards and competitions
Hersh was a Second Prize winner of the Walter W. Naumburg International Cello Competition. He is also a winner of the Astral Artists National Auditions.
Additional honors include a Salon de Virtuosi Career Grant, first prizes at the Schadt String Competition and the Hellam Young Artists Competition, and the National Federation of Music Clubs Young Artists Competition.
Recordings
In 2021, Hersh released his debut EP, The Green Room. In 2023, he released his debut album ABSINTHE, a multimedia project exploring music connected to the cultural history of absinthe. The project received independent coverage in The Strad, which featured the work and discussed its interdisciplinary approach combining music and film.
Chamber music and artistic work
In 2018, Hersh co-founded NEXUS Chamber Music, a Chicago-based chamber music collective that presents an annual festival and concert series. The ensemble focuses on collaborative programming and interdisciplinary projects alongside traditional chamber music repertoire.
External links
References
References
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