Joshua Roman

Joshua Roman, born on December 16, 1983, in Oklahoma City, is an acclaimed American cellist, composer, and curator. He began playing the cello at age three and gave his first public recital at ten. Roman studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music, earning his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Cello Performance. At 22, he became the youngest principal cellist in the history of the Seattle Symphony, a position he held for two years before embarking on a solo career. His performances span from Bach to Radiohead, showcasing his versatility and commitment to bringing classical music to new audiences. Las Vegas Philharmonic+1+4+4Las Vegas Philharmonic+4Pacific Symphony+6Musical Masterworks+6Jacksonville Symphony+6Trường Juilliard+5Jacksonville Symphony+5Springfield Symphony+5

Roman has collaborated with a diverse range of artists, including Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, DJ Spooky, Bill T. Jones, and Somi. His genre-blending programs and wide-ranging collaborations have earned him accolades such as being named a TED Senior Fellow in 2015. His performance of the complete Bach Cello Suites on TED’s Facebook page garnered nearly one million live viewers, marking it as one of the most-viewed events in TED’s history. Pacific Symphony+6Joshua Roman+6Joshua Roman+6Joshua Roman+8Las Vegas Philharmonic+8Jacksonville Symphony+8Jacksonville Symphony+5Joshua Roman+5Trường Juilliard+5

As a composer, Roman has been commissioned by institutions like the Music Academy of the West, Illinois Philharmonic, and ProMusica Chamber Orchestra. His compositions are inspired by sources such as the poetry of Pulitzer Prize-winner Tracy K. Smith and musicians like the JACK Quartet and violinist Vadim Gluzman. In 2024, he launched "Immunity," a deeply personal project exploring his life-altering experience with Long COVID, combining performance and storytelling to raise awareness and communicate strength in vulnerability. Musical Masterworks+4Trường Juilliard+4Joshua Roman+4Pacific Symphony+6Springfield Symphony+6Musical Masterworks+6Joshua Roman+2TED Fellows+2

One of Roman’s insightful quotes is: “I record cello Etudes that are fewer than four minutes long and post them on YouTube. How can one execute fully-formed ideas with utmost perfection, yet stay free enough to allow improvisatory nuance?” This reflects his approach to balancing precision with expressive freedom in performance. Another notable quote is: “Connection is very important. It’s extremely important for me to be connected and sharing with other people, giving them what I feel is important.” This underscores his commitment to fostering meaningful connections through music.QuotesGram+4BrainyQuote+4AllGreatQuotes+4Quotesia+3AllGreatQuotes+3BrainyQuote+3