Alexis Pia Gerlach – Past Concerts

Cellist Alexis Pia Gerlach has been lauded by the press for the “gripping emotion” and “powerful artistry” of her interpretations; qualities which have led to a career striking for its wide range of artistic collaborations. She has appeared extensively in recitals and as a soloist with orchestras across the United States, as well as in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and South America, with such conductors as Mstislav Rostropovich, James DePreist, and Peter Oundjian. Her recording with pianist Fabio Bidini of the Franck and Rachmaninoff Sonatas is released on the Encore Performance label.

As a sought-after chamber musician, she performs at major festivals including Marlboro, Aspen, Bridgehampton, La Musica di Asolo, and Caramoor, where she is a Texaco Rising Star, and as a guest artist with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. She has played extensively with Musicians from Marlboro, on both national and international tours. As a founding member of Concertante, a string sextet based in New York City, Gerlach performs on major concert series throughout North America, and has toured Asia and the Middle East. Concertante’s recordings of the string sextet repertoire have been met with critical acclaim.

A frequent collaborator with dancers, Gerlach has performed as on-stage solo cellist with the Paul Taylor Dance Company on tour in India and at New York’s City Center, and as a duo with New York City Ballet principal dancer, Damian Woetzel.

She is active in commissioning and premiering new chamber works from many preeminent composers, such as Kevin Puts, Lowell Liebermann, Shulamit Ran, Richard Danielpour, Tigran Mansurian, and Paul Moravec, and has worked with many others including Philip Glass, Thomas Adès, Osvaldo Golijov, and Bright Sheng.

Gerlach was born in New York City, where she first studied cello at The Manhattan School of Music Preparatory Division. She graduated from The Yale School of Music and The Juilliard School, where she was a student of Aldo Parisot. She worked additionally with Pierre Fournier, William Pleeth, and Janos Starker.