The New York Philharmonic

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Biography
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Lauded as a “formidable cello soloist” (The New York Times), cellist Nathan Vickery appears regularly in solo and chamber music recitals and at music festivals around the country. In a 2016 performance of Dvořák’s Cello Concerto, he was celebrated for his “talent and artistry” and his “fresh and appealing account” of the work (The New York Times).

Vickery joined the New York Philharmonic in September 2013 as its youngest member, and has since performed and toured with the Orchestra at home in New York and throughout the world. He also appears frequently in the New York Philharmonic Ensembles chamber music series at Merkin Hall, and in the NY Phil’s new-music series.

Nathan Vickery is a member of the Rosamunde String Quartet, in which he joins with violinists Noah Bendix-Balgley and Shanshan Yao and violist Teng Li. He has appeared as a soloist with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and as a recitalist and chamber musician at festivals including the Marlboro Chamber Music Festival, Summer Music at Indiana University, and the Steans Music Institute at Ravinia. He has served on the faculty of the Indiana University Summer String Academy, teaches privately in New York City and with the Shanghai Orchestra Academy, the New York Philharmonic’s professional training partnership with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and Shanghai Conservatory of Music, and enjoys presenting masterclasses.

Vickery received his bachelor’s degree from the Curtis Institute of Music, under the tutelage of Peter Wiley. His pre-college studies were with Susan Moses at the Indiana University String Academy.

“Through my church I volunteer with Operation Exodus, a mentoring program in Washington Heights. On Saturday mornings I work with fourth and fifth-grade boys: we do activities, and I recently did a presentation on being a musician. (“To be a musician you have to practice.”)”

Q&A with Nathan Vickery

THE FACTS: Born in Indianapolis, Indiana. Bachelor’s degree from The Curtis Institute of Music. At the Philharmonic: Joined September 2013.

HOW DID YOU CHOOSE THE CELLO? At age five I was given the choice of violin or cello: my older brother, Peter, played violin and we could go to lessons at the same place and time. I chose cello because it was different and because, as a five-year-old, sitting down to play my instrument was important to me. Peter is now assistant concertmaster of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. My little sister, Allison, is studying piano performance.

FIRST PIECE OF MUSIC YOU FELL IN LOVE WITH: Starting around age eight I listened over and over to Leonard Rose’s recording of Lalo’s Cello Concerto and Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations, and Rostropovich’s recording of Dvořák’s Cello Concerto. When I practiced, I imagined what I could do to sound like that, and as I got older I noticed moments when I sounded like a professional.

MOST IMPORTANT MUSICAL INFLUENCES: My childhood teacher, Susan Moses, pushed me to constantly grow as a cellist and gave me a deep love for music. My teacher at Curtis, Peter Wiley, taught me how to be a real musician rather than just a talented cellist: I learned how to communicate emotions through my technique so that what came through was the music itself, not just my cello playing.

MOST INSPIRING COMPOSER: I fell in love with Mendelssohn when I was young, and I still think his music is unbelievable. I listen to his string quartets on loop; his symphonies have so much beauty and passion.

YOU JOINED THE PHILHARMONIC AT AGE 23, BECOMING ITS YOUNGEST MEMBER, RIGHT AFTER GRADUATING FROM CURTIS: From the very beginning I’ve been accepted and made a part of the Orchestra. Every day I try to learn what it means to be a musician of the highest caliber from my colleagues and our guest conductors and soloists.

MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS WITH THE PHILHARMONIC: The Verdi Requiem with Music Director Alan Gilbert was awesome and amazing, and Bruckner’s Ninth Symphony with Manfred Honeck was powerful.

WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR FREE TIME? I’m a runner, I love to read, and through my church I volunteer with Operation Exodus, a mentoring program in Washington Heights. On Saturday mornings I work with fourth and fifth-grade boys: we do activities, and I recently did a presentation on being a musician. (“To be a musician you have to practice.”)

As of November 2015
Upcoming 2023-2024 Performances
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Location: (Directions)
Price Range:
Duration:
Sun
19
Nov
2023
NY Phil Ensembles at Merkin
3:00 PM Concert

NY Phil Ensembles at Merkin

Program and artists
Program To Include
  • Schubert, String Quartet in G minor, D.173
  • Mozart, Oboe Quartet
  • Dvořák, Piano Trio in F minor
Artists
  • Quan Ge, Violin
  • Anna Rabinova, Violin
  • Alina Kobialka, Violin
  • Jin Suk Yu, Violin
  • Leah Ferguson, Viola
  • Vivek Kamath, Viola
  • Qiang Tu, Cello
  • Nathan Vickery, Cello
  • ...,
Sun
10
Dec
2023
NY Phil Ensembles at Merkin
3:00 PM Concert

NY Phil Ensembles at Merkin

Program and artists
Program To Include
  • Vanhal / Arr. C. White, Trio, La Chasse
  • Dohnányi, Piano Quintet No. 1
  • Brahms, Clarinet Quintet
Artists
  • Sheryl Staples, Violin
  • Su Hyun Park, Violin
  • Alina Kobialka, Violin
  • Kyung Ji Min, Violin
  • Cong Wu, Viola
  • Vivek Kamath, Viola
  • Sumire Kudo, Cello
  • Nathan Vickery, Cello
  • ...,
Sun
7
Apr
2024
NY Phil Ensembles at Merkin
3:00 PM Concert

NY Phil Ensembles at Merkin

Program and artists
Program To Include
  • Melinda Wagner, Elegy Flywheel (World Premiere– New York Philharmonic Commission, Part of Project 19)
  • Janáček, String Quartet No. 1
  • I. Yun, Together
  • Arensky, Piano Trio No. 1
Artists
  • Kuan Cheng Lu, Violin
  • Fiona Simon, Violin
  • Sharon Yamada, Violin
  • Lisa Eunsoo Kim, Violin
  • Kyung Ji Min, Violin
  • Robert Rinehart, Viola
  • Nathan Vickery, Cello
  • Alexei Yupanqui Gonzales, Cello
  • ...,
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