Nathan Cook

Cellist Nathan Cook has been praised for his “authoritative yet relaxed” playing, his “sweet and pliant” sound, and “the combination of vigor and beauty” in his interpretation (Houston Chronicle).

His solo, concerto, and chamber performances have been heard regionally and nationally in Canada on CBC Radio, and regionally in the United States on NPR stations in Buffalo, New York; Houston, Texas; and across Iowa. Nathan performs at the annual Cedar Valley Chamber Music Festival (CVCMF) in Iowa and recently also was a guest artist at the Nathan Schwartzman String Festival in Uberlândia, Brazil.

Nathan is a founding member of the Exorior Duo with flutist Michelle Cheramy. Named using the Latin word for “to spring up” or “to appear,” the Exorior Duo engages actively in the commissioning of new works for flute and cello. The duo has premiered works by Canadian composers Karim Al-Zand, Andrew Staniland, and Clifford Crawley.

The Exorior Duo has also formed the Flute/Cello Commissioning Circle along with U.S.-based ensembles Terra Voce, Brownard Duo, and Keowee Chamber Music, and the European-based Antares Project. Asha Srinivasan’s award-winning composition, Dviraag (2009), was commissioned by the Circle, and the Exorior Duo gave the work’s Canadian premiere.

Nathan hails from Appleton, Wisconsin and holds degrees in cello performance from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University in Houston, Texas where he studied with Norman Fischer. Nathan’s other teachers have included Terry King, Evan Jones, Richard Eckert, Andre Emelianoff and Einar Holm. He currently is Associate Professor of Music at Memorial University of Newfoundland where he serves as Coordinator of Chamber Music.

• The application process is now closed.
• We've received 20 applications, and we will let all applicants know if they've been successful in advancing by mid January 2011.
• Strings Brochures are available on the download page.