Ilya Finkelshteyn is Principal Cello of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops and the Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center. Praised by The Washington Post as a “complete master of his instrument,” he has performed throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia, and he continues to perform a variety of solo and chamber music engagements throughout the year in addition to his roles as a principal cellist.

Finkelshteyn started his education at the Special Music School at the St. Petersburg Conservatory under the tutelage of Sergei Chernyadiev. After immigrating to the United States, he studied with Tanya Remenikova for one year at the University of Minnesota School of Music and then went on to study at The Juilliard School with Harvey Shapiro. While at Juilliard, Finkelshteyn was featured as a soloist on tours to France and Bermuda, and he was also coached by Felix Galimir, Samuel Sanders and members of the Juilliard String Quartet.

Finkelshteyn has appeared as a soloist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra and National Repertory Orchestra, among others. His skillful playing has led to prizes in the Brahms International Competition, Concertino Praga, Russian Cello Competition and the WAMSO International Competition. Finkelshteyn has been heard on stations across the country, such as Cincinnati’s WGUC, Wisconsin Public Radio, Maine Public Radio, KFUO-FM in St. Louis and WYPR in Baltimore. Finkelshteyn has collaborated with artists such as András Schiff, Kirill Gerstein, Hilary Hahn, David Soyer, Richard Goode, Joseph Silverstein, Jules Eskin, Steven Ansell, Harold Robinson, Vadim Repin and Augustin Hadelich on various occasions.

Prior to joining the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra as Principal Cello in 2009, Finkelshteyn was principal cello of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Yuri Temirkanov. He previously played with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra as a member of the cello section for five seasons under Hans Vonk. Since 2004, Finkelshteyn has also been principal cello of the Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center (formerly known as the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra), which performs during the summer in New York City.

Finkelshteyn frequently gives masterclasses and has been invited as a guest teacher at festivals across the country, including the National Orchestral Institute + Festival and Tennessee Cello Workshop. During the school year, he is on faculty at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and also teaches through the CSO/CCM Diversity Fellowship Program as well as a small number of private lessons. 

Finkelshteyn plays on a 1730 Domenico Montagnana.

Photo Credit: Devyn Glista