Remembering Donald Moline

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra family mourns the loss of Donald Moline, who served as a member of the cello section from 1967 until 2006. He died on March 11, 2025, in Iowa City, Iowa, following a long illness. Moline was 85.

Born on October 6, 1939, in Fort Worth, Texas, Moline graduated from the Hartt College of Music at the University of Hartford, as a scholarship student of Luigi Silva, David Wells and Bernard Greenhouse. He later earned a master’s degree while serving as a teaching assistant at Indiana University, where he studied with János Starker, the CSO’s former principal cello.

In 1967, he was invited by seventh music director Jean Martinon to join the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s cello section, a position he held until his retirement in 2006, when he received the Theodore Thomas Medallion for Distinguished Service. For many years, he played a Carlo Antonio Testore cello, dating from 1756.

Moline taught in the U.S. Peace Corps in Nigeria as well as several universities, including the University of Tulsa, Indiana University, Dartmouth College, University of Wisconsin, Northeastern Illinois University and Northwestern University, as well as at the World Cello Congress in Kobe, Japan. He also performed as a soloist with the CSO, Northwest Symphony, Mid-Texas Symphony and the Tulsa Philharmonic, among several other ensembles throughout the United States. Moline also regularly appeared with the Contemporary Arts Quartet and the Chicago Arts Quartet and was a six-time winner on ABC’s The Family Feud.

As a member of Chicago Pro Musica, he won a 1985 Grammy Award for Best New Classical Artist for the ensemble’s recording of Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale and Walton’s Façade. An active solo recording artist, his releases included Last Song of Summer with organist Randall Swanson; Napoleon’s Cellist, featuring music by Jean-Louis Duport with pianist Daniel Paul Horn; and Melange, with harpist Rachael Ferris, including music for cello and harp by Duport and Nicholas Bochsa, which Moline discovered in a library in France. With organist Ricardo Ramirez and the Holy Name Cathedral Chamber Singers conducted by Matthew Walsh, he recorded Cathedral Cello that included the world premiere release of Peter Matthews’s Four Seasons, commissioned by Moline.

At the end of his tenure as a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Moline reflected on his years as, “the greatest musical experiences of my career. I take with me many cherished memories, many fine concerts, and fond memories of my colleagues, my musical family.”

In his retirement, Moline continued to perform, and he enjoyed teaching beginning and advanced cellists of all ages. He was involved with the Puerto Vallarta Chamber Orchestra and the Instituto de Artes Musicales Puerto Vallarta in Mexico, where he performed, taught and actively fundraised. Moline also volunteered as a minister of care at Northwestern Memorial Hospital for Holy Name Cathedral, where he was an active parishioner for many years. As a longtime member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Alumni Association, he served as a board member and officer.

Donald Moline is survived by his partner Gretchen Van Heukelom, his daughters Michelle Moline (Chris) and Erin Moline (Brian) and grandson Ethan. Plans for a memorial service at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago are pending. Memorial contributions may be made to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Holy Name Cathedral.

This article also appears here.