Maxine Neuman was an American

cellist The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a bowed (sometimes plucked and occasionally hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually tuned in perfect fifths: from low to high, C2, G2, D3 ...

based in New York City.

Biography

Neuman was born on July 1, 1948 in New York, New York, and died on December 10th, 2022. After cello studies under

Bernard Greenhouse Bernard Greenhouse (January 3, 1916 – May 13, 2011) was an American cellist and one of the founding members of the Beaux Arts Trio. Life and career Greenhouse was born in Newark, New Jersey. He started his professional studies with Felix Salmo ...

from 1968-1970, and after obtaining both a Bachelor of Arts in cello and a Master's degree from the

Manhattan School of Music The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) is a private music conservatory in New York City. The school offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition, as well as a bachelor's in mu ...

, she embarked on a career as a chamber musician, orchestra musician, and educator. She co-founded the Walden Trio, the Vermont Cello Quartet, the Crescent String Quartet, the Claremont Duo, and Duo Cellisimo. In the 1980s, she was appointed principal cellist of the Orchestra of St. Luke's. She left her principal cellist chair to accept a faculty cello teaching position at Bennington College in Vermont while also maintaining an active international performing schedule, frequently touring with her various chamber groups in Europe and the United States. In 1994, after Bennington College's financial upheaval,Academic Freedom and Tenure: Bennington College, ACADEME (March–April, page 91, 1995) Neuman left Bennington and returned to New York City, teaching, and continuing her active international performing schedule. In addition to her faculty position at Bennington College, Neuman has taught cello at Williams College, Long Island University C. W. Post Campus, the Hoff-Barthelson Music School, and New York City's School for Strings. She is also active as a coach of chamber musicians at the

and the

Chamber Music Conference and Composers' Forum of the East The Chamber Music Conference and Composers' Forum of the East (CMC) is a summer conference that brings together amateur musicians, professional faculty, and composers-in-residence to study and play chamber music. The CMC was founded in 1946, and mos ...

. She is currently a member of the Orchestra of St. Luke's, American Classical Orchestra,

American Composers Orchestra The American Composers Orchestra (ACO) is an American orchestra administratively based in New York City, specialising in contemporary American music. The ACO gives concerts at various concert venues in New York City, including: * Zankel Hall at ...

, and the Westchester Philharmonic. She has been awarded grants from the Rockefeller Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Recordings

Neuman has recorded for Deutsche Grammophon, Columbia, Angel, EMI, Nonesuch, ECM, Biddulph, CRI, Orion, Leonarda, Argo, Opus One, Sony/Virgin, AMC, Artek, Vanguard, Musical Heritage, Albany, Northeastern and CBS World Records. Her efforts have earned three Grammy Awards.

Instrument

Neuman plays a J.B. Guadagnini cello, dating from 1772.

References

External resources

*Maxine Neuman's website: http://www.maxineneuman.com/ {{DEFAULTSORT:Neuman, Maxine 1948 births Living people American classical cellists American music educators American women music educators Manhattan School of Music alumni Classical musicians from New York (state) American women classical cellists