By SUSSANAH DENHAM ’26
Updated 11:50 a.m. EDT, 10 April 2026
On Saturday, April 11, Houghton University’s (HU) Greatbatch School of Music will host the inaugural 100 Cello Festival. Jeremy Russo, HU’s Adjunct Professor of Cello, who is heading up the event, said the festival will “bring together cellists of all ages in Western New York and beyond to HU for a full day of workshops, rehearsals, and performances.” Everyone is welcome to attend the Community Artist Concert at 5 p.m. followed by the 100 Cello Gala at 7 p.m. These events will be held in either Wesley Chapel or the Center for the Arts Recital Hall.
Although registration is now closed, festival attendees will participate in rehearsals, workshops and masterclasses throughout the day. Students of all ages, teachers and professionals will “work alongside local and guest artists in a fun, challenging, and enriching environment of music-making.” During the festival, “local violin shops will be on site with instrument displays and accessories.” The 100 Cello Gala will include members of the HU Cello Choir, which was founded by Russo in the fall of 2024. This concert, said Russo, will feature “students and professionals performing together.”
At the concerts in the evening, audience members can expect to hear a variety of musical genres: classical, rock, pop, and funk. Cello choir member Abigail Renaud ’28, said to listen for “a mashup, arranged by Professor Russo, of Daft Punk’s ‘Robot Rock,’ Stevie Wonder’s ‘Superstition,’ and Michael Jackson’s ‘Off the Wall.’” The cello choir performed this mashup in the Sophomore Student Performer Series on March 25 as a preview.
Renaud also plays for the HU Symphony Orchestra and mentioned that since coming to HU, she has been “challenged with lots of music that really forces [her]to practice.” In the Cello Choir specifically, she added that she prefers the pieces “that lean more towards rock or anything with a sort of percussive groove to it.” One of her favorite pieces was “Libertango” by Astor Piazzola, which the Cello Choir performed last spring.
Russo, according to Renaud, is “always looking to get cellists involved, on and off campus.” Russo oversees the HU Cello Choir, which performs in a very wide range of genres for events on and off HU’s campus. Renaud added, “It has been really great to learn under such dedicated and passionate faculty.” She enjoys playing a variety of styles and believes this has been “helpful in developing [her] range as a musician.”
On a much larger scale than the HU Cello Choir, the 100 Cello Festival will bring together many professional and growing musicians. According to Russo, “gathering such a large number of cellists is definitely a challenge, but fortunately our cello community is friendly and open to collaboration.” He is particularly excited to bring this event together because “most of the participants have never performed with each other and many have never been to HU.” Come enjoy a variety of cello music on April 11! ★
