Cellists, Solo Cello - WashingtonCelebrations.Com

Stephen Czarkowski

Stephen is a nationally acclaimed cellist and conductor. He serves as Principal Cellist of the Opera Camerata of Washington DC, as well as its Assistant Conductor. As a conductor, he has led The National Symphony Orchestra in Washington D.C. as a debut conductor, in conjunction with being selected for the 2003 National Conducting Institute. Stephen is currently on the cello faculty of Landon School, Bullis School, Montgomery College and Shepherd University in West Virginia. At Shepherd University he is Principal Cellist of the 2 Rivers Chamber Orchestra and shares conducting duties with the Preparatory Orchestra. He received both a Bachelor of Music and Master of Music in Cello Performance and Conducting from The Mannes College, The New School for Music, located in New York City, under the tutelage of Carter Brey, principal cellist of the New York Philharmonic.

Gerald Fowkes

Gerald is a graduate of Louisiana State University where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Cello Performance. Additionally, he has studied conducting with Jindong Cai and Michael Butterman, and worked extensively with such artists as Gary Hoffman, Paul Katz, Aldo Parisot, and Erling Blöndal Bengtsson. A past Virginia Governor's Scholar at the National Music Camp at Interlochen, Michigan, he has participated as a fellow of the Hot Springs Music Festival and the Young Artist Institute of the Park City International Music Festival. A former member of the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, he performs frequently as a freelance cellist throughout the Baltimore/Washington metro area and maintains a private cello studio in Northern Virginia.