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A cello can feel like an escape, a calling, and eventually a limb. That’s how Johannes Moser describes the moment the instrument clicked for him and why, decades later, he still loves the daily work most players dread. Our conversation traces his path from messy youth concerts and amateur orchestras to major stages, revealing how real leadership grows when the horn enters early, the violas miss a cue, and the soloist still carries the story. We dig into what actually sustains a modern career: commissions that energize seasons, manuscripts that change how you read the classics, and the habit of talking with audiences as openly as you play. Johannes explains how performers like Casals and Rostropovich expanded the cello’s possibilities and how today’s social media era risks trading depth for dazzle. His antidote is simple and demanding—feed your inner life with books and theater, cultivate personal relationships that lead to invitations, and practice with curiosity so conviction can bloom on stage. Along the way, Johannes shares why new music keeps Dvorak and Schumann fresh, how shared ownership of premieres strengthens the repertoire, and what “productive doubt” looks like in the practice room. He also offers grounded advice for young players navigating a noisy landscape: value the people in the room over the algorithm, and let your voice—not just your velocity—set you apart. If you’re hungry for a clear, human blueprint to grow artistry, connect with listeners, and build a resilient life in music, this conversation will meet you where you are and push you forward. If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review so more musicians can find it. For more information on Johannes Moser: https://www.johannes-moser.com/ You can also find Johannes on Instagram and Facebook: @cellistjohannesmoser If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.com Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads & YouTube: @theCelloSherpa For more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com 

A single question—“Can I have it?”—nearly sent a child’s cello out the door. Instead, that moment lit a fuse that carried Hee-Young Lim from piano lessons and packed Korean school days to principal chair in Rotterdam and a teaching home at Beijing’s Central Conservatory of Music. The Cello Sherpa Podcast host, Joel Dallow, interviews Hee-Young, and they take a deep dive into the chain of choices that shaped her artistry: the advantages of piano-first training for cello technique, how small hands and big extensions can coexist, and what it means to study across traditions with mentors from the French, German, Russian, and American schools. Hee-Young takes us inside the orchestra, sharing what she learned from working closely with Yannick Nézet-Séguin, decoding massive symphonic scores, and adapting to different halls on tour. Then she opens up about a turning point at thirty, why prestige wasn’t enough, how proximity to home and a lifelong dream to teach redefined success, and what makes Beijing’s conservatory culture distinct, from studio sizes to the freedom to teach across ages. We also explore the heart behind her album Encores. Built one piece at a time in a colleague’s studio, the project gathers short works she first loved on piano and now sings through the cello. She explains how bow and breath reshape phrasing once sustained by pedal, why encore repertoire can carry the deepest personal stories, and how a DIY recording approach can yield a more intimate, honest sound. Throughout, her advice to young musicians is frank and generous: stay curious, stay open, and build resilience for a field that asks for both excellence and grit. If you enjoy candid artist stories, real talk about career pivots, and behind-the-scenes insight into orchestral life, conservatory teaching, and recording strategy, this one’s for you. Listen, share with a friend who needs a nudge of courage, and leave a rating so more musicians and music lovers can find us. For more information on Hee-Young: https://www.crossovermedia.net/artists/hee-young-lim/projects/the-encores-album/bio/ You can also find Hee-Young on Instagram and Facebook: @heeyounglim_official or Youtube: @hee-younglim2202  If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.com Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads & YouTube: @theCelloSherpa For more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com 

What does it really take to move from a childhood in a Soviet special music school to the principal chair of a top American orchestra? The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, sits down with Ilya Finkelshteyn to trace that journey, through refugee camps, early months in Minnesota with two suitcases and $300, a total technical rebuild at Juilliard with Harvey Shapiro, and a relentless audition circuit that demanded both resilience and precision. Ilya opens the curtain on how committees actually listen. The first-round filter isn’t mystery or style, it’s consistent intonation, reliable rhythm, and clear dynamic contrast. He shares the training habits that hold up under pressure: drones and tuners to expose tendencies, perfect intervals that must truly lock, open-string checks, and practicing in resonant spaces to hear pitch “hang” in the air. He even offers a pragmatic safety net for intervals when adrenaline spikes, an approach that protects musical integrity without freezing expression. We also dig into leadership from the first stand. Ilya’s philosophy is simple and demanding: orchestra is chamber music writ large. He asks for active playing across the section, minimal talking from him to the section, sharp listening, and smart energy management. It took more than seven years to feel fully at home in the chair, long enough to cycle the core repertoire and learn when to blend and when to step out. Along the way, he makes a case for sustainable careers: secure an institutional “address” for stability, then build a rich mix of orchestra work, chamber music, solo spots, and teaching. If you care about orchestra auditions, cello technique, or the realities of principal leadership, this conversation delivers practical steps, hard-won insight, and a clear path you can apply today. If it resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review—what’s the one practice change you’ll make this week? For more information on Ilya: https://www.ilya-finkelshteyn.com/ You can also find Ilya on Facebook If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.com Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads & YouTube: @theCelloSherpa For more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com 

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews cellist Richard Aaron. Richard joined the faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory in the fall of 2024. He shares his incredible journey from landing an orchestra position at the age of 18, to becoming one of the most sought after teachers of our generation! Having been on faculty at the University of Michigan, the Juilliard School, the Cleveland Institute of Music and the New England Conservatory., Richard shares the keys to success on the cello, what he looks for in potential students, and much more. For more information on Richard: https://sfcm.edu/study/faculty/richard-aaron If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out http://www.theCelloSherpa.com Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Bluesky @theCelloSherpa For more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com 

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews cellist Paul Watkins. Paul is currently the Professor of Cello at the Yale School of Music. He shares his journey going back to landing Principal Cellist of the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the age of 20, his work as a member of the Nash Ensemble, joining the legendary Emerson String quartet, and even taking up the baton as a conductor, winning the Leeds Conducting Competition in 2002.  For more information on Paul: https://music.yale.edu/people/paul-watkins If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out http://www.theCelloSherpa.com Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Bluesky @theCelloSherpa For more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com 

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews Blaise Dejardin, principal cellist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. They talk about what he has been up to over the past 3 years, joining the faculty of his alma mater, the New England Conservatory, his teaching philosophy, filling three openings in the cello section, and much more. For more information on Blaise Dejardin check out his website www.BlaiseDejardin.com For his cello arrangements: www.opuscello.com Copies of his book are also available here: https://www.blaisedejardin.com/shop/audition-day-book or Carriage House Violins https://www.carriagehouseviolins.com/cgi-bin/music/scripts/violin-viola-cello-music.cgi?itemno=BKDEJAAUDITIONOC or in person at Salchow and Sons Bowmakers If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.com Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Bluesky @theCelloSherpa For more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com 

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews Nathan Chan, Assistant Principal Cello of the Seattle Symphony. They talk about the incredible social media following he has built over the years by creating insightful, interesting and amusing videos around the cello. Nathan also shares his experience working towards the goal of winning a position in a major symphony orchestra and much more. For more information on Nathan Chan check out his website: https://nathanchan.com/ You can also find Nathan on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube: @Nathanchancello  If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.com Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Bluesky @theCelloSherpa For more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com 

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews Cellist and Conductor Eric Jacobsen. Eric is a cellist in Yo-Yo Ma’s SilkRoad Ensemble, the Artistic Director and Co-founder of the Knights Chamber Orchestra and also the Music Director of the Virginia Symphony and the Orlando Philharmonic. They talk about his incredible career on the cello and how he transitioned to a conducting career. Eric shares stories about working with Yo-Yo Ma, starting multiple musical ensembles, and studying with the legendary cellist Harvey Shapiro at Juilliard.  For more information on Eric Jacobsen check out his website: http://www.jacobseneric.com/about#conductor You can also find Eric on Instagram: @ejacobsenmusic  Facebook: JacobsenEric.com  YouTube: @ericjacobsenconductor7573 To hear the performance of "Blue as the Turquoise Night of Neyshabur" with Eric conducting the Greater Bridgeport Symphony: https://youtu.be/0OzUpZRytvk If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.com Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Bluesky @theCelloSherpa For more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com 

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews Cellist Julie Albers. She has been the principal cellist of The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra since 2014. They talk about her experience growing up in a family where all of her siblings played instruments, how she ended up in an orchestra, forming the Albers Trio with her sisters, her teaching philosophy, and much more.  For more information on Julie: https://content.thespco.org/people/julie-albers/ You can also find Julie on Facebook: @jooliealbers Check out her recording of the Crosmer-Popper Duets recorded with Jeremy Crosmer: https://music.apple.com/us/album/crosmer-popper-duets/1048724091 If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.com Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Bluesky @theCelloSherpa For more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com 

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews Cellist Mike Block. Mike shares about his incredible multi faceted life working not just as a cellist who walks around on stage while playing, but also as a singer, composer, and educator. He also shares how he found success on such a non traditional classical music path, why he was motivated to go this direction in his career, and much more!   For more information on Mike Block check out his website: https://www.mikeblockmusic.com/ For more information on 3D printed cellos: https://forte3d.com/ For more information on Mike's cello strap: https://www.cellostrap.com/ For more information on Mike's string camp: https://www.mikeblockstringcamp.com/ You can also find Mike on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube: @blockcello  If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.com Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Bluesky @theCelloSherpa For more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com 

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews Bassist Andrew Sommer. Andrew is in his second season as a bassist in the Chicago Symphony, after spending 4 years as Principal of the Richmond Symphony. He shares his story about growing up among musician parents, with his mom as his earliest music teacher, his dad paving the way as a bassist in the Atlanta Symphony and much more.  For more information on Andrew Sommer: https://cso.org/about/performers/cso-musicians/strings/bass/andrew-sommer/ You can also find Andrew on Facebook & Instagram: @ajsommer If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.com Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Bluesky @theCelloSherpa For more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com 

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews cellist Alex Croxton, Alex is currently a faculty member at Mannes Prep, the Special Music School at the Kaufman Center, the Head of Cello at the School for Strings, and he has a full private studio in NYC. Alex shares about the impact the Suzuki method has had on his ability to work successfully with his students, and how it led to his interest in becoming certified as a teacher trainer. He also speaks about his own journey as a beginner on the cello at the age of 12 and he talks about the consistent building blocks of learning to tackle the cello at any level. For more information on Alex Croxton: https://www.newschool.edu/mannes/faculty/alexander-croxton/ You can also find Alex on Facebook If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.com Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Bluesky @theCelloSherpa For more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com 

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews cellist Norman Fischer. Norman is Professor of Cello, and Chair of Chamber Music at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. Norman shares his story of how he first developed his insatiable love of contemporary music. He also talks about his journey forming the Naumburg winning Concord String Quartet to joining the faculty at Dartmouth, then Oberlin, and he gives the inside story of how Rice became one of the most sought after music schools!  For more information on Norman Fischer: https://music.rice.edu/faculty/norman-fischer You can also find Norman on Facebook and Instagram @theFischerDuo To listen to the album 2020 Visions: https://www.navonarecords.com/catalog/nv6444/ If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.com Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Bluesky @theCelloSherpa For more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com 

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews violist, violinist, and composer, Christian Colberg. Christian is currently the Principal Violist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. He shares his amazing story about winning a job in the Baltimore Symphony after only playing the viola for 3 weeks, his journey from there to Cincinnati 17 years later, his compositional philosophy, tips for taking successful auditions, and much more! For more information on Christian: https://www.christiancolberg.com/ You can also find Christian on Facebook and Instagram: @christiancolberg11 To listen to the albums, composed, recorded, engineered, and performed by Christian and Amy: Baylamoose https://classical.music.apple.com/us/album/1736668426  Talking to Myself https://classical.music.apple.com/us/album/1631885946  If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.com Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Bluesky @theCelloSherpa For more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com 

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews cellist Sterling Elliot. Sterling is the 2021 Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient and the winner of the Senior Division of the 2019 National Sphinx Competition. He shares about his journey growing up as the cellist in the family string quartet, starting at the age of 5, and he speaks about the impact of winning both the junior and senior divisions of the Sphinx Competition. Sterling also talks about how he has  navigated the first couple of years growing a career into an international soloist, picking a manager, and much more.   For more information on Sterling: https://sterlingelliott.com/about You can also find Sterling on Instagram: @celloster If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.com Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Bluesky @theCelloSherpa For more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com