Alexander Hersh

Biography

Cellist Alexander Hersh is quickly establishing himself as a rising young talent. In 2015 Hersh made his Symphony Hall debut with the Boston Pops and at the Kennedy Center. Upcoming engagements include solo performances with the Jefferson and Springfield (MO) Symphony Orchestras, solo recitals in Denver and Boston, and the Jordan Hall debut of the Neruda String Quartet of which he is a founding member.

Alexander Hersh has performed in the US, Canada, and across Europe. He has received numerous awards both a soloist and as a chamber musician, including: the 2016 Schadt String Competition, Jefferson Symphony International Young Artists Competition, the Hellam Young Artist Competition, Boston Pops/New England Conservatory Competition, Society of American Musicians, the Saint Paul String Quartet Competition, the Jules M. Laser National Chamber Music Competition, the Chicago National Chamber Music Competition, the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, and is a three time winner of the New England Conservatory Honors Competition. 

A passionate chamber musician, Hersh has performed the complete string quartets of Béla Bartok and Alban Berg and much of the rest of the chamber music canon. He has been heard in music festivals worldwide including: Ravinia Steans Music Institute, Perlman Music Program Chamber Music Workshop, Amsterdam Cello Biennale, Kronberg Academy Cello Masterclasses, Olympic Music Festival, Kneisel Hall, Domaine Forget, New York String Orchestra Seminar, National Arts Centre Young Artists Programme, and the Meadowmount School of Music. In the Summer of 2014, he served as principal cellist for the Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra in Lucerne, Switzerland.

A 4th generation string player, Alexander’s parents, Stefan and Roberta, are both active professional violinists. His grandfather, Paul Hersh, is professor of viola and piano at San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and his great grandfather, Ralph Hersh, was a member of the Stuyvesant String Quartet, and principal violist of the Dallas and Atlanta Symphony Orchestras. 

Raised in Chicago, Alexander Hersh began playing the cello at the age of 5. He studied with Steve Balderston and Hans Jensen, and attended the Academy at the Music Institute of Chicago. As a high school student Hersh was heard twice on NPR's "From the Top," and performed as soloist with the Chicago Youth Concert Orchestra, and the Oak Park River River Forest Symphony Orchestra.  In May, Hersh received his B.M. from New England Conservatory with academic honors where he was a student of Laurence Lesser and recipient of the  Clara M. Friedlaender Scholarship. He is currently pursuing his M.M. at New England Conservatory under the tutelage of Paul Katz. He plays a G. Ceruti cello on generous loan from a sponsor through Darnton & Hersh Fine Violins in Chicago, IL.