Sarah Kapps, cello
Critically acclaimed cellist Sarah Kapps has an active and diverse background that has taken her across the globe as soloist, chamber musician, orchestral member, and rock star.
She has enjoyed sharing the stage with such legends as The Eagles, Smokey Robinson, ELO, Andrea Bocelli, Rick Ross, CeeLo Green, YoYo Ma, Nathalie Stutzmann, Donald Runnicles, Robert Spano, Kurt Masur, and countless others.
As an independent performer based in Atlanta, Sarah is a sought after and respected chamber musician, speaker, and leader, and substitute with major performing organizations, including Atlanta Symphony, Opera, and Ballet orchestras. As soloist, she has performed Eric Whitacre’s sacred veil with the composer, delivered a self-conducted concerto performance from the solo seat, and annually premieres new compositions through the LEAD program at Wintergreen Music.
In the summers, she has been a long-time member of the Wintergreen Festival Orchestra, Chamber Players, Academy faculty, and LEAD cooperative. She was a founding member of the Red River and Denali String Quartets, and later came to serve on the faculty at The University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley and Georgia State University.
Aside from various positions as cello instructor, Professor Kapps has taught string methods, music appreciation, and applied strings; as well as broader arts classes, composition consulting, eurythmics, improvisation, lectures, interactive projects, and school visits. Arts advocacy and outreach being a lifelong mission, she developed an interactive education course that calls on participants to produce their own opera scenes. With this educational model, she directly impacted literally thousands of young people who gained a new appreciation for orchestral and vocal music.
Sarah Kapps holds degrees from The Manhattan School of Music and The Mannes College of Music, and has studied with Paul Tobias and Peter Wiley of the Guarneri Quartet. When not at the cello, she is an avid taichi practitioner and cat enthusiast.
