Jeffrey Watson, Cellist
Education
Jeffrey Watson
Jeff Watson received a Bachelor of Music degree at the Hartt School of Music in Hartford, Connecticut, and a Masters degree from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. His teachers have included Raya Garbousova, David Finckel, Gabor Rejto, and Eleanor Schoenfeld.
Performance and Teaching
After leaving school, Jeff spent three years with the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra before moving to the San Francisco Bay Area. He joined the New Century Chamber Orchestra (a 17-member string ensemble with no conductor) in 1995 and has appeared with the NCCO as chamber musician, principal and section cellist, and as soloist. The NCCO has recorded four CDs; one of which, an all Shostokovich collection, was nominated for a Grammy award in 2000. They have collaborated with numerous artists, including Charles Neidich, Terry Riley, Simon Rattle, Frederica von Stade, and Jeffrey Kahane.
Some of Jeff’s other musical experiences include performing in the Berlin 750th anniversary festival (Berlin, Germany) with the Suliam String Quartet, performing at the San Francisco Jazz Festival with Charlie Haden and Shirley Horn, tours of Japan with the Percy Faith and Henry Mancini orchestras, performance in Hong Kong with the Hong Kong String Quartet, motion picture soundtrack sessions for films such as Spy Kids and Inspector Gadget, and playing for Broadway shows.
Jeff has developed and performed musical education programs for the NCCO and the San Francisco Symphony.
Having only recently moved to Denver, Colorado, Jeff is a member of the Colorado Chamber Players, with whom he has performed concerts and recorded a CD. He has also performed with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Ballet Orchestra, Opera Colorado, and for the Broadway show The Little Mermaid at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House.
Jeff grew up in Tucson, Arizona.