About Me: My expertise in resolving issues surrounding pain and tension has its origins in my early professional development. In the 1980’s, as I was working with the Zurich Opera and Zurich Chamber Orchestra, I was hindered by tension in my playing. Too often I heard teachers or colleagues suggest that I  “relax” without helping me to understand the mechanics necessary to do so. The opportunity to work with Professor Michael Flaksman (Mannheim Conservatory) taught me to focus on balance when thinking about my relationship to my cello. As a result, my effort eased, my sound increased, and I understood the way the origins of my tension were inhibiting not only my technique, but also my musical expression. The seeds that were planted by Professor Flaksman combined with collaboration with other like-minded educators over the years have resulted in a comprehensive understanding of solutions to pain and tension on the cello. My goal now is to share this information to those who need it and want it!

Live recording of Rachmaninoff Sonata, mvt. I with Fabio Bidini, piano:

Biography: I was awarded the degree Doctor of Musical Arts in Cello Performance from the University of Southern California under Eleonore Schoenfeld. As a recitalist, I have concertized extensively in Europe and North America. I have had a special interest in and commitment to performing newly-commissioned and lesser-known works in the cello repertoire. In support of that mission, in 1996 I released my solo compact disc, Soliloquy:  Contemporary Works for Unaccompanied Cello, with Centaur Records.

I am a dedicated pedagogue. I have been an active presenter at ASTA conventions and  a contributor to the ASTA journal. I was founder and director of the Texas Cello Academy, an annual summer course and festival held at the University of Texas at Arlington from 2000-2011. As a UT Arlington faculty member I was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Teachers. In summer 2009, I was awarded the UT System’s Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award. In 2012 I retired after 21 years from the position of Full Professor of Cello in the Department of Music at the University of Texas Arlington.

Today I maintain a private cello studio in Arlington, TX, and I freelance in the DFW Metroplex.

I am indebted to Michael Flaksman for the knowledge and inspiration that saved my relationship with the cello. I am  grateful to the colleagues who share my passion for teaching these concepts, especially Nino Ruzuvic, Cornelia Watkins, Jeffrey Solow, and Philip von Maltzahn.  I am also grateful  to the many students who have trusted me to guide them to a pain-free relationship with their cellos.

Dr. Elizabeth Morrow

August, 2014