Cecilia Marie O'Malley, from Hot Springs, SD, began studying violin at two, piano at four and cello at seven. Today, she is an accomplished violinist, cellist, and pianist having received multiple wards from the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), the Society of American Musicians, (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022), Confucius Fine Arts Competition (2018, 2019) and DePaul Concerto Festival (2018) on both violin and cello.
O'Malley was the 2022 MTNA National finalist representing South Dakota on violin and this year has won the West Central Division on cello, advancing to the MTNA Nationals to be held in Reno, NV. She performed as violin soloist in 2021 with Vivaldi Strings. In 2020,. she won both first place for her violin performance and Honorable Mention for her cello performance in the 2020 Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Music Club Concerto Competition. She earned first-place in the Sonata-Sonatina Festival on piano and has graduated through Level 11 in the Illinois State Music Teachers Association Achievement Examinations.
O'Malley participated in the Suzuki Youth Orchestra of the Americas in 2018 on violin and was invited to the First Convention of the Americas in 2020. She loves collaborating with fellow musicians in orchestra and chamber ensembles, previously holding the principal cello chair at Chicago's Youth Symphony Debut Orchestra and concertmaster chair for several orchestras. She performs extensively in chamber groups on piano, violin, and cello. O'Malley has spent her summers at Meadowmount Institute of Music, Intermountain Advanced Strings Camp, DFW-WOW Suzuki Institute Advanced Strings Camp, Midwest Young Artists Conservatory Intensive Chamber Camp, Tutti Chamber Music Camp and the Fry Street Quartet Chamber Intensive Camp in Utah. In 2020 and 2021 she was accepted to the Aspen Music Festival to study with Paul Kantor. She is extremely privileged to currently study with Gerardo Ribeiro of Northwestern University on violin, Dr. Tanya Carey of Roosevelt University on cello and Ms. Tatyana Stepanova on piano.
In her free time, she enjoys horseback riding, cooking, reading, watching old movies (from the 1930s), and cuddling with her dog, Jack!
