What’s better than a cello? Two cellos. What’s better than—well let’s just skip to the end: 25 cellists, called the Texas Cellos, playing 13 concerts in 5 historic venues in Fredericksburg, June 8–21st.
TPR caught up with Texas Cellos’ creative director, Joseph Kuipers, who’s been putting the whole thing together.
Throughout the fest, students from all over the world will be working with what Kuipers calls “A who’s who of cello teachers,” polishing their technique and socializing. And of course all the concerts, culminating in a massive cello-choir concert on the 21st.
What is it about the cello? Says Kuipers, “It’s very human. It has the same range as a male voice, all the way through a high soprano. It’s the size of a person. It kind of looks human … almost everybody tells me it’s their favorite instrument.”
Fredericksburg seems to be the perfect setting. Kuipers enjoys the combination of high culture and approachable spaces. “When I first discovered Fredericksburg, which is a town I love, I was just so impressed — it’s a little bit of Europe in the Texas Hill Country. We’ve got a Grammy-winning cellist playing in a wine cellar. Things like that. I think people will find it very approachable. You can come to concerts wearing jeans and boots, and yet the music will be of the highest level.”
And the cellists themselves: “Cellists are a little bit of a unique breed. We really enjoy people. We enjoy friendship and getting together. It’s a joy bringing them together.”
