Sara Sitzer

cellist

about

Sara Sitzer, whose playing has been described as “rich” and “lustrous” by the Chicago Classical Review, leads a varied life as an orchestral, chamber, and solo cellist, as well as entrepreneur, administrator, and music writer. She has performed recitals all over the world, from Frank Gehry’s New World Center in Miami Beach to the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Her performing career has taken her to Israel, Japan, England, Australia, as well as throughout the United States

Ms. Sitzer’s dedication to connecting with communities through live chamber music performance led her to found both the Gesher Music Festival in St. Louis, Missouri, where she served as Artistic Director from 2011-2020, as well as Chamber Music on the Fox in Elgin, Illinois, where she served as Co-Artistic Director and Executive Director from 2014-2022, and currently serves on the board of directors. As a writer, she has been published in the St. Louis Beacon and NewMusicBox (the blog of New Music USA).

Ms. Sitzer is a member of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra and has regularly performed with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Chicago Opera Theater, among other ensembles. Ms. Sitzer has had the opportunity to perform alongside the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra, as well as with the YouTube Symphony Orchestra in Sydney, Australia. Additionally, she travels to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia each summer to perform and to serve as cello and chamber music faculty at the Wintergreen Summer Music Festival. Other festivals she has attended include Tanglewood Music Center, Pacific Music Festival, and the Aspen Music Festival.

A champion of chamber music and new music in Chicago, Ms. Sitzer is a former member of Chicago Q Ensemble, with whom she recorded two albums, gave a TEDx presentation, and was presented by organizations including the Chicago Loop Alliance, Frequency Series, (Un)Familiar Music Series, Chicago Home Theater Festival, City of Chicago, and American Music Project.

Ms. Sitzer holds a Master of Music Degree from the University of Wisconsin, where she attended on a Collins Fellowship. She received her Bachelor of Music degree from Boston University as a Trustee Scholar. She also completed a 3-year fellowship with the New World Symphony in Miami under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas.

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