Katie Tertell

American cellist Katie Tertell is a passionate chamber, orchestral, and cross-over artist in high demand with some of Europe’s leading ensembles. A former member of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra (Dublin, Ireland), Katie left her role in 2019 to explore her own collaborative projects, research and work as a pedagogue.  She has recently joined the cello teaching staff at Durham University (UK). Katie is the co-creator of Cello Power, a community for cellists and musicians to grow and thrive in a supportive and fun environment.

Having won several awards, Ms. Tertell is recipient of the prestigious Exceptional Talent Visa (Exceptional Promise) from the UK Arts’ Council and Home Office.  She is also a current recipient of a DYCP grant from Arts Council England.  Katie recieved a Leverhulme Bursary through the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme (2014), as well as the winner of numerous scholarships and competition prizes during her studies in the US and UK, including a full-tuition scholarship at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester.  She has appeared as a concerto soloist on several occasions in both countries and looks forward to performing the Brahms Double Concerto later on this season.

Ms. Tertell is actively involved in chamber music collaboratives and festivals within Europe and the U.S.  In October, 2020 she successfully completed an outdoor tour of North East England with her ensemble Tertell-Ball duo (Semibreve Music), which received critical acclaim and media attention due to the ambitious nature of the project and its relevance during the pandemic.   Katie has performed at the Galway International Jazz Festival, Kilkenny Festival, Endellion, Spoleto Festival USA, Spike Cello Festival, Lorin Maazel’s Castleton Festival, John Lynch Chamber Music Series, National Concert Hall Chamber Series (Ireland), Bowie Festival (Dublin) and Kaleidoscope among several others.  A highlight of her year is performing annually at the Torrey Chamber Music Festival in Utah, USA.  She has performed with chamber collectives Musici Ireland, Cello Ireland and Fincino Ensemble among others.  

Katie performs in live and recorded broadcasts for RTÉ Lyric FM and BBC Radio 3 on a near weekly basis, and enjoys reaching audiences both near and far through various broadcasts and recordings including a number of films and award-winning discs.  She has performed live on BBC Radio 3’s “In Tune” and appeared as principal cello of the Ulster Orchestra at the BBC Proms.  She currently freelances with a variety of internationally-acclaimed chamber orchestras, some of which include the Royal Northern Sinfonia, Scottish Chamber, Irish Chamber and London Chamber Orchestra.  She also enjoys working with several of the leading Symphony and Opera orchestras. 

Ms. Tertell grew up near Washington D.C. and is involved in various musical projects in the area.  She has championed successful charitable concerts in the area, including for So Other Might Eat in December, 2019.  She holds degrees in performance from Indiana University, Cleveland Institute of Music (Highest Distinction) and the Royal Northern College of Music, as well as a Masters in Suzuki Pedagogy from the Sato Center at the Cleveland Institute of Music.  Her teachers and mentors include among many Janos Starker, Emilio Colon, Joely Koos, Peter Dixon and Ralph Kirschbaum.