MUSICTALKS PRESENTS 2025 ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CELLO FESTIVAL

Dozens of Young Cellists From Around the World Unite for a Week of Performance in NYC

Student Musicians Perform Alongside Professionals in Six Concerts August 3–7, 2025 at The Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan

Soprano Larisa Martinez and Conductor Isaac Hayward Join Roster of Acclaimed Musicians

New York, NY (July 31, 2025) — What does it mean to play your first concerto with an orchestra—at age 12, in New York City, in front of a live audience? That’s the experience the MusicTalks International Cello Festival aims to give young cellists from around the world. Now in its 6th year, the 2025 edition brings together student cellists ages 8–18 from the United States, Greece, China, Spain, and Israel for a transformative week of rehearsal, coaching, and public performance alongside world-renowned professional musicians. At the heart of the program is a simple but radical goal: to provide a supportive, kind, and safe space for young artists to explore and refine classical chamber music—and, in many cases, to perform a solo concerto with a top-tier orchestra for the very first time.

Over six days and six concerts across Manhattan, students perform iconic works by Bach, Schubert, and Dvorák alongside genre-crossing programs that stretch from Broadway to Brazil. The festival culminates in Concerto Night, where select students take the stage as soloists with the MusicTalks Chamber Orchestra, led by guest conductors drawn from New York City’s vibrant professional scene.

Festival Highlights include a genre-bending evening of Bach in Brazil on August 6 featuring world-renowned soprano Larisa Martinez, whose dazzling artistry brings a fresh dimension to the cello ensemble program. Rising star conductor Isaac Hayward joins the festival to lead performances with the MusicTalks Chamber Orchestra, lending his signature energy and insight to the stage. And in the festival’s grand finale, Concerto Night, student cellists ages 8–18 step into the soloist’s spotlight for the first time—performing major works by Bruch, Saint-Saëns, Haydn, Elgar, Fauré, and Vivaldi with a professional orchestra in one of the most unforgettable moments of their young careers.

Throughout the week, students are coached by a faculty of internationally recognized cellists and chamber musicians, who also perform with them in select concerts. This side-by-side model offers not only musical mentorship, but also deep collaboration and connection—creating an environment where emerging players feel encouraged to take risks, make music with conviction, and grow as artists and individuals.

“We give these kids serious responsibility—and then we surround them with the kind of support that helps them rise to it,” says MusicTalks founder and Artistic Director Elad Kabilio. “The pressure is real. But so is the transformation.”

For many of these young musicians, this is their first time performing at such a high level—with the visibility, structure, and joy that comes from stepping into the spotlight with real stakes. Preparing a concerto or leading a chamber group not only strengthens technique; it reshapes a student’s relationship to the instrument, to music, and to themselves.

More information and tickets:

https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/musictalks-international-cello-festival-2025-3550989

Event Information

Sunday, August 3 · 5:30 PM | Central Park (West 69th St & Central Park West)
Cello at Sunset: From Bach to Broadway
Join cellist Elad Kabilio for a beautiful sunset concert featuring Bach favorites, passionate Spanish works, and music from West Side Story. A family-friendly picnic performance—bring a blanket, snacks, and even your dog. If weather doesn’t cooperate, the concert will move to a 

Monday, August 4 · 7:00 PM | 334 Amsterdam Avenue
Schubert Cello Quintet – Romantic Masterworks by Candlelight
Experience one of chamber music’s most beloved works, Schubert’s Quintet in C Major, set to flickering candlelight. With lush themes and thrilling virtuosity, the performance includes insights and anecdotes from host Elad Kabilio.
Featuring: Masha Polishchuk and Kate Goddard, violins; Mira Williams, viola; Samuel DeCaprio and Elad Kabilio, cellos.

Wednesday, August 6 · 5:30 PM | 334 Amsterdam Avenue
Global Chamber Music Showcase: Schubert, Dvorák, Rossini & More
A culminating program of chamber masterpieces, including Schubert’s Cello Quintet, Rossini’s Duo for Cello & Bass as well as Cello Quartet works by Bach, Wagner and Dvorák. Student cellists perform side by side with New York–based professional artists.
Featuring teaching artists: Masha Polishchuk and Kate Goddard, violins;  Mira Williams, viola; Elad Kabilio, cello; Dara Bloom, bass.

Wednesday, August 6 ·

 7:30 PM | 334 Amsterdam Avenue
Bach in Brazil: Cello Ensemble with Soprano Larisa Martinez
Baroque elegance meets Brazilian flair in this inventive program for cello ensemble, featuring acclaimed soprano Larisa Martinez. A highlight of the festival’s cross-genre programming.

Thursday, August 7 · 7:00 PM | Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan (West 76th Street)
Concerto Night: Student Soloists with the MusicTalks Chamber Orchestra
Discover the future stars of the cello world in this thrilling finale. Student soloists perform major concertos with orchestra, including Bruch’s Kol Nidre, Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto and Allegro Appassionato, Boccherini, Haydn, Saint Saens and Lalo concertos, Fauré’s Élégie, —led by exciting Maestro Isaac Hayward

About MusicTalks 
MusicTalks offers uniquely personal and informal concerts featuring a wide range of musical styles performed by the finest artists in New York. MusicTalks aims to break down the barriers between musicians and audiences by infusing engaging and interactive conversation into the concert experience. Audiences will form new connections to the music and have an experience that truly makes Music Talk.

About MusicTalks International Cello Festival
The MusicTalks International Cello Festival is an annual training and performance intensive for student cellists ages 8–18. The program offers a rare opportunity to rehearse, study, and perform side-by-side with world-renowned professional musicians in a supportive, kind, and creatively safe environment. With a focus on mentorship, access, and artistic growth, the festival nurtures technical skill, emotional confidence, and musical independence—culminating in the unique chance for young artists to perform their first solo concerto with a top-tier orchestral ensemble.

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