Cellist Isaac Melamed’s musical endeavors connect him to some of the greatest musicians and artists of our time. As a member of the New Century Chamber Orchestra, Isaac has toured nationally to critical acclaim under music directors Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg and Daniel Hope. Since joining the Garth Newel Piano Quartet in 2014, Isaac and the Quartet have performed throughout Croatia, Scotland, at the Chautauqua Institution, and around much of the southern United States. The Quartet programs and performs over 50 chamber music concerts each year and directs numerous educational programs at the historic Garth Newel Music Center in Hot Springs, Virginia.

A San Francisco native, Isaac studied with Grammy Award-winning cellist Antonio Lysy in Los Angeles, where he enjoyed solo engagements with the UCLA Philharmonia and Symphony Orchestras, and the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra. Isaac received graduate degrees from Manhattan School of Music, studying with Alan Stepansky and David Geber, as well as training from Dmitri Ferschtman at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, Daniël Esser of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and Steven Isserlis and Miklós Perényi at the Kronberg Academy in Germany. Isaac’s cello was created for him in 2016 by Robert Brewer Young of Sentaraille a Berdot, France, on the model of the Marquis de Corberon Stradivari, 1726.

Isaac currently lives in Bath County, Virginia with his wife Ting-Ting and their cuddly cat, Milo.

What is your hometown?

San Francisco, CA

How long have you performed with New Century?

Since 2012

What do you love about New Century?

The AMAZING PEOPLE!

What is your favorite New Century memory?

The first tour I ever went on, performing Strauss' Metamorphosen across the south and midwest. It turns out our bus drove right past my future hometown, Staunton, VA. and I had no idea. I was too busy playing cards!

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

My older brother played viola in the San Francisco Youth Symphony. I went to his concerts when I was very young, and when my parents asked what instrument I wanted to learn, I told them the one that's bigger than his viola!

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

Among many, the Marin headlands (up over Conzelman Rd) on my bicycle. Also, San Jalisco restaurant on 20th and South Van Ness.