Rebecca Merblum
cello
Rebecca Merblum, originally from Connecticut, has been dedicated to chamber music throughout her life as a cellist.
The Hartt School gave life to this connection as Rebecca worked with the Emerson String Quartet and Mitchell Stern (American String Quartet). It continued through her studies at the Cleveland Institute and the New England Conservatory where she went on to earn her Bachelor and Masters Degrees respectively.
Rebecca joined the Artaria Quartet for the 2016-2017 season. This was a renaissance of sorts given her history with the Azmari Quartet. As a founding member of the Azmari Quartet, she participated in the Graduate Quartet Residency at Northern Illinois University under the tutelage of the Vermeer Quartet. The Azmari Quartet served as the Corbett String Quartet in Residence at Northern Kentucky University from 2004-2009.
During the 30th anniversary season with the Artaria Quartet, Rebecca enjoyed collaborations with Andres and Roberto Diaz, Geoff Nuttal and several former members of the Artaria Quartet family. The quartet performed throughout the Twin Cities while remaining dedicated to nurturing the growth of students at the Artaria Chamber Music School and Stringwood, the summer festival directed by the ensemble.
Rebecca also enjoyed frequent appearances in the cello section of the St Paul Chamber Orchestra during her first season in Minnesota. This included a recording project with the ensemble in the Spring of 2017. She has continued to perform regularly with the Grammy Award winning SPCO and toured with the ensemble in the Spring of 2018 as well.
While in Los Angeles, Ms. Merblum performed with the Salastina Chamber Music Series, Sundays at LACMA, the Green Umbrella Series (Los Angeles Philharmonic) and Classical Encounters. Additional chamber music performances involved collaborations with Michele Zukovsky (LAPhil), Martin Chalifour (LAPhil), Ronald Leonard (LAPhil), Andrew Shulman (Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra) and Panic Group, an ensemble dedicated to the presentation of new music. Rebecca was also a substitute with the both LAPhil and LAOpera from 2010-2016. Several film soundtracks also feature Ms. Merblum.
A dedicated teacher, Rebecca served as the Chair of the String Department at the Pasadena Conservatory where she was a member of the cello and chamber music faculties. Her students have gained recognition in numerous competitions and festivals including the Piatigorsky International Festival.