California-based Evan Kahn has been praised as “a cellist deserved of serious listening” for bringing his “electrifying … nuanced and colorful” style to all of his collaborations, from concerti to chamber music to contemporary performances.

Evan is principal cellist in San Francisco Opera and New Century Chamber Orchestra, as well as Opera San Jose and the San Jose Chamber Orchestra. Dedicated to the orchestral craft, he has also enjoyed time performing with the San Francisco Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, and Los Angeles Opera. In April/May 2018, he served as Artist-in-Residence with Performance Today at NPR, sharing some of his favorite works for cello and his philosophies on music and life. In February 2019, he was named Musical America’s New Artist of the Month. He is a resident cellist for a number of Bay Area small ensembles, including Ninth Planet, After Everything, and the Wave Chamber Music Collective.

Evan received a Master’s in Chamber Music at San Francisco Conservatory of Music, studying with Jennifer Culp. He graduated with college and university honors from Carnegie Mellon University, studying with David Premo. Before college, he took lessons in Los Angeles with John Walz, Timothy Loo, and Karen Patch. Other important mentors include Paul Hersh, Thomas Loewenheim, Amos Yang, Mark Kosower, Robert DeMaine, and Bonnie Hampton.

In addition to performing and teaching, Evan enjoys playing Dungeons and Dragons, watching British television, and playing with his cat.

What is your hometown?

Culver City, CA

How long have you performed with New Century?

I’ve performed with NCCO since 2022.

What do you love about New Century?

I love that every member throws their all into every program we perform, and that we’re always taking musical risks together. There’s such a high degree of trust in our ensemble!

What is your favorite New Century memory?

There was a concert in Wismar during our tour of Germany in Summer 2023, when we played in a centuries-old wooden church, and one of our encores was a short piece by John Williams — music from the movie “Lincoln”. And it went exactly how I heard it in my head. I think you can count on one hand the number of times that individual musical ideas line up so perfectly like that.

How did you start learning your instrument, or who inspired you to begin?

Both of my parents are musicians — my mother is an opera singer, and my dad is a jazz pianist. They inspire me every day. I chose to begin music myself in fourth grade, through a public school music program I was very lucky to have access to. I chose the cello because my brother plays the trumpet, and I hated the idea of a spit valve. Violin always looked so uncomfortable, and at the time I didn’t like the sounds of the flute and clarinet. So I chose the cello!

What do you like to do when you're not being a musician? What are your hobbies?

I’ve been hiking more and more recently, and when I have the time and resources, I run tabletop, role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons for my friends.

What's your favorite Bay Area place (restaurant, park, etc.)?

Anywhere I can get a burrito.