Cellist Matthew Herren has appeared as chamber musician, recitalist and concerto soloist throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. Now dividing his time between New York City and Lawrence, Kansas, Mr. Herren is active in the musical life of both regions, performing regularly at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in New York, and locally with The Kansas City Chamber Orchestra and Chamber Music Society, The Lawrence Chamber Orchestra, and The Bach Aria Soloists.
Mr. Herren is a much sought-after chamber musician. As a member of Trio Fedele and The New York Chamber Soloists, he has toured extensively throughout the United States, with performances at major venues including Alice Tully Hall, The National Gallery, and Philadelphia's "Mozart on the Square Series." In 2004, Trio Fedele premiered and recorded Lowell Liebermann's Trio, Op. 87 to critical praise. In addition, Mr. Herren has performed chamber music with Jennifer Frautschi, Colin Jacobsen, Menahem Pressler, Arnold Steinhardt, Dawn Upshaw, Albert Fuller, Robert White, Makoto Nakura, The American String Quartet, The Ying Quartet, and Concertante Chamber Players. As recipient of the First Prize in the Vienna Modern Masters International Performers Competition, Mr. Herren recorded of Schoenberg's String Trio, Op. 45. He has also recorded for the Deutsche Grammophon, Sony, Atlantic, Artek, Helicon, and London Decca Labels, and frequently is heard on NPR's Performance Today
Mr. Herren spent five seasons as Principal Cellist of the Vermont Mozart Festival Orchestra, and has played, often as principal cello, under many of today's most distinguished conductors, including James DePriest, James Levine, Roger Norrington, Andre Previn, Simon Rattle, Donald Runnicles, Gerard Schwarz, and Michael Stern. In New York City, he is a regular performer with The Orchestra of St. Luke's, with whom he has been featured as continuo cellist. His numerous festival appearances include Caramoor, Norfolk, Ravinia, Red Lodge, Sarasota, and Summerfest at Rutgers University, He has been heard with prominent chamber orchestras of his generation, including Metamorphosen Chamber Ensemble, and The Boston Modern Orchestra Project, the New York New Music Ensemble, and NewEar Contemporary Ensemble.
Special projects of recent seasons include world-premiere collaborations with Regina Resnik at The 92nd Street Y and Merkin Concert Hall, period-instrument chamber music with The Helicon Ensemble in New York City, and the premiere of Bright Sheng's chamber opera The Silver River in Singapore. In the world of popular music, Mr. Herren has appeared with Metallica, Sting, Billy Joel, James Taylor, at Carnegie Hall, with Vanessa Williams and Luciano Pavarotti on Saturday Night Live, and Iranian singing legend, Shahram Nazeri in Los Angeles.
A graduate of The Juilliard School, Mr. Herren is Lecturer in Cello at Pittsburg State University, and is on the faculty of The Chamber Music Conference at Bennington College, Vermont. He maintains a flourishing studio of private students at The Kansas City Strings Conservatory, and has taught at The International Institute for Young Musicians at The University of Kansas, and The Vivace! International Festival at The Pennsylvania Academy of Music.
Active as a concert presenter, Mr. Herren is a member of The Advisory Board of The Helicon Foundation, an organization he also served as Operations Manager.