Steven Elisha

Internationally acclaimed cellist Steven Elisha has performed as a soloist and chamber musician throughout Europe, Israel, China and Taiwan, Brazil and the United States. He first attracted attention at the age of fifteen as a student of Luis Garcia-Renart when he gave solo performances with the Albany and Schenectady Symphony orchestras. Elisha’s New York debut at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and premiere performance of Cry of the Dove, a cello concerto written by his sister, Adrienne Elisha, received critical acclaim. As an honorary member and returned guest of the Beijing Cello Society, he has extensively toured mainland China, performing recitals and teaching master classes at the Shanghai, Canton, Xian, Jinan and Beijing music conservatories. He has been a featured soloist with the Toledo Symphony, Connecticut Chamber Orchestra, Cleveland Chamber Symphony, Topeka Symphony, Gulf Coast Symphony and Grand Rapids Symphony, and in China with the Beijing Central Philharmonic and symphony orchestras of Beijing, Xian, Jinan and Canton. Formerly the Director of String Studies at Washburn University, Principal Cellist of the Topeka Symphony and Conductor of the Topeka Symphony Youth Orchestra, Elisha was also the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Lawrence Chamber Orchestra. Elisha regularly gives master classes, workshops and residencies throughout the United States, including his innovative “Mr. Cello Stories” program for audiences of all ages. Elisha frequently presents workshops, teaches and performs at national and international festivals, conferences and summer music programs, including the Summit Music Festival, Washington Square Music Festival, Omaha Conservatory Summer Institute, Charleston International Music School, College Music Society Conferences and the American String Teachers National Conference. An active recording artist, Elisha has released the critically acclaimed Duo Virtuoso on MSR Classics, a Grammy-nominated Musical Heritage Society recording of New England piano trios, and Yale Cellos of Aldo Parisot on Delos. He received a Bachelor’s degree from Indiana University School of Music, where he studied with Janos Starker; a Master’s degree from Yale School of Music, where he was a Teaching Fellow for Aldo Parisot; and a Doctorate from the University of Kansas. Currently, Dr. Elisha is Head of the String Area, Director of Orchestras and Conductor of Georgia Southern University Symphony Orchestra, and Associate Professor of Music at Georgia Southern University.