On Friday, September 27th at 7:30pm in NAU’s Ardrey Auditorium, Karlos Rodriguez will perform the Elgar Cello Concerto at the FSO season-opening concert, which has one of the most iconic openings in all of the cello repertoire!
An advocate for multifaceted musical diversity in the 21st century and a founding member of the GRAMMY award-winning Catalyst Quartet, Cuban-American cellist Karlos Rodriguez is an avid soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, clinician, recording artist, writer, and administrator. He is also the recently appointed Professor of Cello at the NAU Kitt School of Music.
We got to sit down with him for an interview so that you can get to know him a little more before the concert!
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your musical beginnings?
A: I grew up in Miami, Florida, and while classical music wasn’t always playing in our house, it was an important part of my childhood through concert-going. My family valued attending concerts and performances, and during that time, the New World Symphony was just starting out alongside the Florida Philharmonic, a major American orchestra based in Miami.
There was also a remarkable concert promoter named Judy Drucker, who brought some of the world’s greatest artists to perform in Miami. I was fortunate enough to see Rostropovich give the world premiere of Piazzolla’s Le Grand Tango as an encore, and I attended performances by Starker every year. My family enjoyed concerts, Broadway musicals, and various events, creating a vibrant musical landscape that fueled my desire to play an instrument.
I wanted to learn a musical instrument for as long as I could remember because of all of this incredible exposure. However, with my single mom working multiple jobs to make ends meet, pursuing music wasn’t always feasible. Eventually, we decided to check out a local music school. The receptionist, Maritza, who is still a family friend, suggested that I sit in on a lesson to see if I connected with the teacher. Unfortunately, there were no violin teachers available, which is what I originally wanted to play, but she introduced me to the cello teacher. Her son, Sebastian, played cello, and she thought I would enjoy it too. Not fully understanding what a cello was, I agreed to try it.
By chance, my first teacher had just moved to Miami after getting married. She was Barbara Costello, who had completed her degrees at Juilliard under the great Harvey Shapiro. She was new to Miami due to her husband’s job transfer from New York City, and she began teaching at the music school. Barbara guided me from the very basics of playing the cello to preparing for college.
I attended a music magnet school in middle school, which was a new initiative at the time. Later, I was part of the first graduating class of the New World School of the Arts, modeled after the Fame school in New York City. My teachers were incredible; the Miami String Quartet was the string faculty, and they had just begun winning competitions worldwide. The music dean, John de Lancie, was the legendary principal oboist of the Philadelphia Orchestra and director of Curtis for many years, and his presence added to the vibrant experience.
Throughout high school, I studied under two different teachers, Keith Robinson from the Miami Quartet and Barbara Costello. I then pursued my undergraduate studies in Cleveland, followed by graduate school in New York, where I’ve stayed ever since.
Q: What are some stand-out music making moments in your life?
A: I vividly remember the first time I played a concerto with an orchestra—my debut with the New World Symphony at the New World Symphony Theater. My performance was part of a concerto competition that I won, and I played the Saint-Saëns concerto.
Another significant moment was my first string quartet rehearsal in high school. I’m still friends with all those musicians today, and that rehearsal made me realize I wanted to pursue that path. Now, I play in a professional string quartet.
There are also memorable concerts that stand out, like the debut of my quartet, Catalyst Quartet, at Carnegie Hall, as well as my first performance with the Guarneri Quartet there. That was scary and exciting.
Beyond cello, I had the privilege of learning from the late Chita Rivera, a Broadway legend and the original Anita in West Side Story. She passed away at the age of 91 last spring. Spending time with her taught me invaluable lessons about integrity, cooperation, and leading by example.
My last cello teacher, David Sawyer of the Guarneri Quartet, was another significant influence. I studied with him for the last ten years of his life, and every lesson with him was a profound musical moment.
Often, it’s not the grand occasions that leave the biggest impact; it’s the small, meaningful experiences. For instance, traveling to Havana and performing there for the first time, as part of the first string quartet to visit since the revolution, was incredibly special, especially since my family is originally from Cuba.
Q: Welcome to Flagstaff and NAU Kitt School of Music! What peaked your interest in becoming a teaching artist here when the position opened up?
A: Due to my fortunate exposure to incredible artists across various genres, I felt it was important to share the invaluable knowledge and pedagogy I had acquired—knowledge that not everyone has access to in academia or music education.
With many of the great cello teachers passing away, I realized the significance of this lineage. For instance, my teacher studied with Pablo Casals, which means I’m just one person removed from the individual who essentially invented the concept of the modern cello. This lineage is crucial to pass on.
I wanted to contribute in a more concrete and lasting way than just giving masterclasses, which often feel like brief, inspiring encounters rather than the development of a student over time.
Additionally, my string quartet had been the ensemble in residence at the Grand Canyon Music Festival for over a decade, participating in the Native American Composers Apprentice Project throughout northern Arizona and southern Utah. I often found myself stopping in Flagstaff, so I was familiar with it. One of my dear friends, Dr. Mary Ann Ramos, had also been teaching here, and we had worked together at a music festival for nearly ten years. This connection further fueled my desire to teach and contribute to the community.
Furthermore, the culture of this school is distinct from other institutions. We have an abundance of performing faculty members, which is definitely not always the case. The programming here aligns with my values of inclusivity and a broad spectrum of offerings. Additionally, the facilities are beautiful, making this a truly unique place. I have found it to be very special.
All these factors combined made me realize this was something I needed to pursue.
Q: What would you like the audience to know about the Elgar Cello Concerto, which you will be performing at the September 27th concert?
A: There are a few noteworthy aspects of the Elgar Concerto. First and foremost, it was premiered by a woman, which is quite rare—there’s perhaps only one other concerto, the Korngold Concerto, that shares this distinction. Beatrice Harrison premiered and recorded the Elgar Concerto in 1920. Considering the context of that time, this is a significant achievement.
Many renowned musicians have played this concerto, including Pablo Casals, who made a wonderful recording. Ultimately, it was another woman, Jacqueline du Pré, who helped solidify the Elgar Concerto as one of the most iconic pieces in the cello repertoire in the 1960s. This special element of female representation is an important, extra-musical layer to the work.
The Elgar Concerto is a mournful, autumnal, and elegiac piece, rich with emotion and complexity. Unlike flashy works such as Prokofiev’s Sinfonia Concertante or the Dvořák Concerto, it holds a place of equal popularity alongside Dvořák’s Cello Concerto, making them the two most performed concertos in the repertoire.
When people think of the cello—especially those who aren’t musicians—they often associate it with the human voice. I believe this connection is largely due to the expressive language Elgar evokes in his concerto. It truly captures the essence of the instrument, exploring its beauty and the introspective feelings it can convey.
This concerto was the last major work Elgar composed, written shortly after World War I. The emotional weight of that period is palpable in the music, reflecting the aftermath of profound experiences.
There’s something about this work that resonates deeply with people, affirming its status as a masterpiece.
Q: What else do you enjoy doing outside of all things cello and music?
A: I love gardening, which is a passion I’ve had for a long time but was able to explore more during the pandemic. I even built a beautiful garden in my apartment building in New York City, which was a lot of work but incredibly meaningful to me.
In addition to gardening, I enjoy good food and cooking. I’m also really into DIY projects, home renovation, and interior design. These activities captivate me just as much as practicing does; in fact, I can get so immersed in a project—like working on a bathroom floor—that I’ll spend ten hours straight without even eating. It’s a lot of fun for me!
Q: Any last thoughts?
A: Come to the concert! 75 years of the FSO deserves to be celebrated, and one way to do so is by attending this opening night concert. It is incredible that this orchestra has dedicated itself to its craft for nearly a century, creating a rich history in Flagstaff worth honoring.
