From the United States, cellist Gabriel Cabezas

Named one of 23 Composers and Performers to Watch in 2023 by the Washington Post, cellist Gabriel Cabezas is a sought-after soloist who has appeared with America’s finest symphony orchestras. He is as comfortable interpreting new works as he is the pillars of the cello repertoire.

Born in Chicago, Cabezas realized at a young age that he didn’t want to confine himself only to classical music. “I want to have a curious and omnivorous spirit about music in general,” he said in an interview with SF Classical Voice. “There’s just so many things you can do as a musician.”

After graduating from the Curtis Institute of Music, Cabezas began a multi-faceted career as a soloist, chamber musician and studio artist — including appearances on albums by popular artists such as Taylor Swift, Phoebe Bridgers, John Legend and Rufus Wainwright, among others.

In 2021, “Lost Coast,” a dynamic album of original music composed by Gabriella Smith for Cabezas, was released. It was inspired by her reflections on climate change, which she has seen devastate her home state of California. The album was named one of NPR Music’s “Favorite Albums of 2021” and a “Classical Album to Hear Right Now” by the New York Times.

In May 2023, Lost Coast, reimagined by the composer as a concerto for cello and orchestra, received its premiere by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra will perform Lost Coast, with Cabezas as soloist, in concerts Feb. 5-7 under Esa-Pekka Salonen.

Cabezas is a co-founder of Duende, a new music and contemporary dance collective that focuses on the interaction between musicians and dancers in the realization of new scores. In addition, Cabezas is a member of the acclaimed chamber sextet yMusic. Its virtuosic execution and unique configuration have attracted high-profile collaborators from Paul Simon to Bill T. Jones to Ben Folds; it has inspired an expanding repertoire of original works by composers including Caroline Shaw, Missy Mazzoli, Nico Muhly and Andrew Norman.

In 2016, Cabezas received the Sphinx Medal of Excellence, a career grant awarded to extraordinary classical Black and Latin musicians, who, early in their professional career, demonstrate artistic excellence, outstanding work ethic, a spirit of determination and ongoing commitment to leadership.