The Cello Sherpa Podcast

Your bow is the only part of your rig you touch every second you play, yet most of us shop for one like we’re guessing in the dark. We sit in a room, try ten options, get overwhelmed by “better” and “worse,” and somehow leave with more confusion than we started with. That’s why we brought on Evan Orman, a working cellist who became a full-time bowmaker and now spends his days repairing, restoring, and building bows for real players.
We talk through Evan’s path from serious conservatory training to realizing performance wasn’t the only lane that could keep him close to music. He explains what drew him into bow making, why the craft is so hard to learn without a formal school, and how the Oberlin bow workshop became a turning point. Then we get concrete: pernambuco selection, cambering, and why the frog and adjuster can be the majority of the work. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re paying for when you buy a bow, this clears it up fast.
From there we zoom out to the buying decision. Evan breaks down modern bows versus antique bows, the placebo and prestige “wow effect,” and the most reliable tests for feel and performance, especially that smooth engagement from end to end. Joel shares a personal story of finally finding a bow that delivers both sound and athletic control and realizing the limitation wasn’t always the player.

If bow shopping has you stuck, this conversation will help you move forward with better questions and calmer ears. Subscribe, share with a string player who’s hunting for a bow, and leave a review so more musicians can find the show.
For more information on Evan: https://www.ormanbows.com/
You can also find Evan on Facebook and Instagram: @ormanev
If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.com
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads & YouTube: @theCelloSherpa

For more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com

The audition screen can make great players feel powerless, but it also reveals something encouraging: the results often go to the musician with the most repeatable process. We’re joined by cellist Charles Zandieh, fresh off a one-year position with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and heading into a tenure-track role with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, to talk about what actually moves the needle in professional orchestral auditions.
Charles walks us through his real audition path. From the moment he chose stability as a goal after COVID, to what he learned from both wins and first-round cuts. We dig into his standout London Symphony Orchestra experience, from a video submission through the website "Musical Chairs" to a three-week trial playing full concert cycles, and how to handle the hardest part of the trial process: getting no feedback and still moving forward with confidence.
Then we get intensely practical about cello audition preparation: daily metronome routines for standard excerpts, metronome displacement to lock time, drone practice for intonation, and a grounded approach to tuning that works in a mixed-instrument audition committee setting. We also talk about performance anxiety, how to walk behind the screen without rushing, how to “invite” nerves instead of fighting them, and how to plan your weeks when the excerpt list is brand new, like an opera audition. If you’re chasing cleaner rounds, stronger finals, and a calmer mindset onstage, this one is built for you. Subscribe, share the episode with a friend prepping auditions, and leave us a review so more musicians can find the show.
For more information on Charles: https://www.charliezandieh.com/
You can also find Charles on Facebook and Instagram: @charlezandieh
If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.com
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads & YouTube: @theCelloSherpa

For more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com

The fastest way to get better is not a secret scale system or a new bow hold. It’s learning how to think like a musician who can last. We sit down with cellist Natasha Brofsky, chair of the Juilliard School cello department, to trace the real arc of a life in music: early obsession, world-class training, hard choices about career paths, and the daily mindset that keeps artistry alive under pressure.
We talk about growing up in New York City, studying with influential teachers, and why she chose Eastman instead of following a pre-set route. Natasha shares why chamber music became her center of gravity, including what makes ensemble rehearsal work when strong personalities and big ideas collide. Her North Star is respect: for your colleagues’ musicianship, for the process of trying ideas honestly, and for building interpretations that evolve over time.
On the teaching side, we get practical about conservatory life, Juilliard’s intensity, and the psychology of nurturing talent. Natasha lays out a music-first approach to cello technique, explains how intonation and rhythm create resonance and meaning, and argues that “musical” playing cannot exist without fundamentals. We also unpack resilience, handling rejection, and a timely hot topic: how iPads and reading off full scores can sometimes reduce listening in chamber music.
If you care about chamber music, cello practice strategies, conservatory auditions, and building a sustainable professional musician mindset, this conversation will challenge you in the best way. Subscribe, share this with a musician friend, and leave a review so more players can find the show.
For more information on Natasha: https://www.juilliard.edu/music/faculty/brofsky-natasha
You can also find Natasha on Facebook
If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.com
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads & YouTube: @theCelloSherpa

For more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com

Your audition might win you the seat, but your day-to-day behavior decides whether people actually want to sit next to you for the next 20 years. The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, is joined by cellist Jennifer Humphreys, currently with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, to talk about the orchestra etiquette music school rarely teaches: the quiet, practical choices that signal professionalism the moment you walk on stage. From the “fake five” being in your seat early to simple introductions that build instant trust, we dig into what colleagues notice right away.
We also get specific about section life. Jennifer explains what it really means to follow bowings (not just directions, but bow placement and length), what to do when you disagree with a principal, and why some “small” habits like phones on stage, gum, or practicing excerpts during service can erode focus and respect. We talk marking parts without creating crutches, how to stay flexible when seating changes, and how tidy pencil work can literally make rehearsal smoother for everyone sharing the stand.
Then we zoom out to what makes a section player genuinely valuable: knowing the full piece, listening across the orchestra, understanding when to play out or pull back, and using the right communication chain so questions get answered without derailing rehearsal. Underneath it all is the real challenge of professional ensemble playing: setting ego aside to create a unified sound that no solo player can make alone.
If you’re preparing for your first orchestra job or want to level up as a section string player, subscribe, share this with a stand partner, and leave a review so more musicians can find it. What’s one unwritten orchestra rule you wish someone had told you earlier?
For more information on Jennifer: https://slso.org/person/jennifer-humphreys/
You can also find Jennifer on Facebook and Instagram: @31jumphreys
If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.com
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads & YouTube: @theCelloSherpa

For more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com

Thirty years in the principal chair can look effortless from the audience, but it rarely feels that way from the stage. We’re joined by cellist Carter Brey as he steps back and takes stock of a remarkable run leading the New York Philharmonic cello section and why he’s choosing to retire at the end of the season while his playing still feels strong.
We get into what most people never see: how long it can take to truly feel “at home” in a top orchestra job, how you learn to handle pressure and politics without losing your musical center, and how the weekly reset of new programs forces you to stay sharp. Carter also shares how he keeps perspective when repertoire repeats, and why the best nights can be the quietest ones when the orchestra’s precision and trust are on full display.
Carter walks us through the very different worlds of Kurt Masur, Lorin Maazel, Alan Gilbert, Jaap van Zweden, and Gustavo Dudamel, and what adapting to each music director teaches you about musicianship, preparation, and leadership. We also talk about defining experiences, including the unforgettable 2008 Pyongyang concert, what he’ll miss most about his “second family,” his retirement plans for travel and sailing, and even the decision to sell his 1754 Guadagnini cello while viewing instruments and positions as things we steward for the next person.
If you care about orchestra life, principal string leadership, professional musician longevity, and the psychology of performing at a high level, this conversation is for you. Subscribe for more, share this with a musician friend, and leave a review so more players can find the show.
For more information on Carter: https://www.nyphil.org/about-us/artists/carter-brey/ 
You can also find Carter on Facebook
If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.com
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads & YouTube: @theCelloSherpa

For more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com