Dr. Beth Vanderborgh

BETH VANDERBORGH, cellist

Cellist Beth Vanderborgh enjoys a rich and varied career as soloist, chamber musician, orchestral musician and pedagogue. Currently, she serves on the faculty of the University of Wyoming, as principal cellist of the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra, on the Artist-Faculty of the Eastern Music Festival, with the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival Orchestra and as acting principal cello of the Pro-Musica Colorado Chamber Orchestra.  In addition, she performs regularly with the Colorado Chamber Players and the Colorado Symphony. She is a founding member of the acclaimed Stanislas Sextet, based in Nancy, France, and tours regularly with Musica Harmonia. The Classical Voice of North Carolina described her playing as ".Impeccable musicianship, rhythmic precision, technical expertise and expansive, passionate musicianship. Gorgeous music, exquisitely performed, and I do not believe I have overdone the superlatives."

Dr. Vanderborgh has captured top prizes in the Baltimore Chamber Awards, the National Society of Arts and Letters Cello Competition and the Ulrich Solo Competition. As United States Information Service Artistic Ambassador and member of the Fadial-Vanderborgh Duo, she has performed on four continents, including recitals at the Kennedy Center, the Phillips Collection, the Teatro Nacional in Costa Rica and the American University in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria. She was awarded the Wyoming Arts Council Fellowship in 2018 in acknowledgment of her service to the State of Wyoming.  In 2019 Vanderborgh was the recipient of a professional development grant from the American String Teacher’s Association to pursue conducting studies under the legendary Maestro Gerard Schwarz.

Her most recent CD, with the Stanislas Sextet, of Brahms and Dvorak sextets was recorded by Radio France and released in 2018 by the European label, Forgotten Records. She has recorded two CDs for Albany Records, both released in 2013: Chamber Music of Jennifer Higdon ("Highly recommended!" Fanfare Magazine) and Salon Music of August Nölck for Cello and Piano. Strad Magazine described her Nölck recording as "lyrical and technically accomplished… eloquent and persuasive." The CD, When the Spirit Sings, was released on Centaur in 2017 and features Musica Harmonia performing chamber music of Gwyneth Walker. Dr. Vanderborgh has collaborated in chamber music performances with Lynn Harrell, Susan Graham, Frederica von Stade, Augustin Hadelich, Elmar Oliviera, Yura Lee, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Jon Nakamatsu, Garrick Ohlsson and Bela Davidovich.

Her students have been accepted to such illustrious institutions as the Curtis Institute, Oberlin Conservatory, and the Manhattan School of Music, among others, for further studies. They have won positions in orchestras and academic settings and have been recent regional and national finalists in the MTNA Young Artist Solo Competition in strings.

At the University of Wyoming, Dr. Vanderborgh teaches (and has taught) applied cello, string solo literature, string chamber literature, cello pedagogy, Form and Analysis, Baroque performance ensemble, chamber music and she directs the UW Chamber Orchestra. Under her guidance, the UWCO has collaborated with the Ying Quartet and the tango group, Extasis, and has toured extensively, including concerts in Denver’s Newman Center and at high schools throughout Wyoming, Colorado and Montana. She has received the Top Prof Award, the Extraordinary Merit in Research Award, the Thumbs Up Award, and an Every Student a Person Award. In 2015, Dr. Vanderborgh initiated an innovative outreach program, the University of Wyoming Cello Studio Bach Project, through which University cellists perform the music of J.S. Bach for homebound and elderly music lovers.

An avid fan of Baroque performance practice, Dr. Vanderborgh has studied with chamber music with harpsichordists Louis Bagger and Arthur Haas and baroque cello/viol with viola da gambists Martha McGaughey (Mannes), Kenneth Slowick (Smithsonian Institution) and Ann Marie Morgan (Peabody).  In 2020 she received a Faculty Research Grant from the University of Wyoming to further her investigations in viola da gamba performance.  In 2021 she received Grant-In-Aid funding from the Viola de Gamba Society of America as well as support form the VdGSA Consort Loan Program, awarding UW students and the broader Laramie population the use of a consort of viols for two years. 

Dr. Vanderborgh has performed in the cello sections of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Washington Concert Opera, the North Carolina Symphony, the Charlotte Symphony, the New Mexico Symphony, the Washington Bach Consort, the Orchestra of Santa Fe, the Colorado Symphony, and is former Principal Cellist of the Winston Salem Symphony, Greensboro Symphony Piedmont Opera, Greensboro Opera and the Carolina Chamber Symphony. She has played back-up for Mannheim Steamroller, Nina Freelon, and Celine Dion. In addition, she has taught cello at Duquense University Pre-College, Alderson Broaddus College and Guilford College.

Dr. Vanderborgh holds degrees from the Manhattan School of Music, the Eastman School of Music, and the University of Maryland, where her teachers included David Geber, Evelyn Elsing and David Soyer. She engaged in intensive chamber music studies with the Guarneri, Juilliard, Cleveland, and American String Quartets

When not playing the cello, Dr. Vanderborgh enjoys skiing, equestrian sports and hiking in the beautiful Wyoming wilderness with her family.  She was honored to represent the State of Wyoming in the 2019 National Senior Olympics, where she reached the podium earning 5th place in both the 20k and 40k women's cycling road races.  

"Wow! Great Stuff!" The Washington Post

"Cellist Beth Vanderborgh, comparisons to Jacqueline du Pre´ aside, plays with the intensely focused sound of Anner Bylsma." The Charlotte Observer

Links:

University of Wyoming Cello Studio Bach Project
Greensboro Symphony
Cheyenne Symphony
Eastern Music Festival
Jennifer Higdon recording
August Nölck recording
Stanislas Sextet recording