Armed with a diverse spectrum of repertoire and eclectic musical interests, cellist Jay Campbell has been recognized for approaching both old and new works with the same probing curiosity and emotional commitment. His performances have been called “electrifying” by The New York Times, “gentle, poignant, and deeply moving” by The Washington Post, and on WQXR by Krzysztof Penderecki for “the greatest performance yet of Capriccio per Sigfried Palm.” Campbell made his debut with the New York Philharmonic in 2013 and has soloed in major venues around the globe including Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium, Avery Fisher Hall, Lucerne’s KKL, as well as recitals in Carnegie’s Weill Hall, the Kennedy, Mondavi, and Krannert centers.
Dedicated to introducing audiences to the music of our time, Campbell has worked closely with some of today’s most creative musicians including Pierre Boulez, Elliott Carter, Matthias Pintscher, John Adams, Kaija Saariaho, and countless others from his own generation. His close association with John Zorn resulted in the 2015 release of Hen to Pan (Tzadik) featuring all works written for Campbell, and was listed in The New York Times year-end Best Recordings of 2015. Forthcoming discs in 2016 include a disc of Beethoven, Debussy, Stravinsky and Pintscher (Victor Elmaleh Collection), and a disc of works commissioned for Campbell by David Fulmer (Tzadik). Equally enthusiastic as a chamber musician and teacher, Campbell is currently on faculty at Vassar College and has been a guest at the Marlboro, Chamber Music Northwest, Moab, Heidelberger-Fruhling, DITTO, and Lincoln Center festivals.