Lynn Harrell

Lynn Harrell stood as a towering figure in American classical music over a span of six decades as a cellist, while also shaping the next generation through his educational efforts. Born in New York on January 30, 1944, to musician parents, he took up cello studies at eight under New York Philharmonic's Heinrich Joachim. The family relocated to Dallas, where Lev Aronson guided his studies and urged him toward a professional path in music. He attended Juilliard School under Leonard Rose's tutelage and continued at Curtis Institute with Orlando Cole. Personal losses struck hard: his father succumbed to cancer when Harrell turned 15, followed by his mother's death in a car crash at age 18. Orlando Cole suggested orchestral playing prior to solo pursuits, leading godfather Robert Shaw to secure an audition with Cleveland Orchestra's George Szell. Excelling in that tryout, Harrell joined at 18 and rose to principal cellist within two years, remaining until 1971. He consistently recommended orchestral experience to his pupils and prepared by examining entire scores, a habit fostered by mentor James Levine. Relocating to New York in 1971, his initial recital drew sparse crowds, yet persistence paid off with a performance slot in the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center's season the following year. This exposure garnered notices from The New York Times and propelled his trajectory forward. The Avery Fisher Prize came his way in 1975 as its first recipient. Thereafter, he collaborated with leading orchestras globally. Notable moments included a 1994 Vatican performance honoring Holocaust victims before Pope John Paul II and Rome's chief rabbi, plus a Grammy Awards trio appearance alongside Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman. Festivals and teaching formed key parts of his later work, including five decades at Aspen Music Festival. He held positions at Royal Academy of Music, Cleveland Institute of Music, Juilliard School, among others. The Dallas Symphony Orchestra honors him through its Lynn Harrell Concerto Competition. His extensive discography, beginning in the early 1980s with Dvořák's Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104, and Bruch's Kol Nidrei, Op. 47, under Vladimir Ashkenazy with Philharmonia Orchestra, appeared primarily on London, Decca, and EMI. Into his eighties, he issued a 2017 Decca recording of Haydn and C.P.E. Bach cello concertos, leading the Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra from the cello. Twice married, Harrell's children were actress and yoga instructor Kate and journalist Eben. His passing occurred on April 27, 2020, in Santa Monica, California.