Tarab Cello Ensemble

Tarab Cello Ensemble is an American new music octet, established in 2000 by French-American cellist Florent Renard-Payen. He was conceiving an idea of a chamber ensemble that could express the richness and intensity of multiple cellos for many years. While working on a PhD degree in Cello Performance at the Eastman School Of Music, Florent had a chance to meet a few talented cellists who shared a mutual passion for American contemporary classical music and agreed to join Tarab's unusual line-up. The Ensemble had commissioned and performed many works for eight cellos by Larry Bell, Garrett Byrnes, Dennis DeSantis, David Liptak, Brad Lubman, Gregory Mertl, Samuel Pellman, Dan Trueman, Martin Scherzinger, Aaron Travers and other prominent contemporary US composers. Tarab also included such compositions as Pierre Boulez's Messagesquisse, Arvo Pärt's Fratres, and Korot by Luciano Berio in their repertoire. In 2003, Tarab Cello Ensemble participated in the Boston Conservatory New Music Festival. The group toured extensively across the United States and in France. They also became a guest ensemble-in-residence at Princeton University and University Of South Florida circa 2005. A few renowned institutions and art foundations awarded grants to Tarab Cello Ensemble, including Fromm Foundation, Howard Hanson Institute for American Music, and Foreman Institute for the Creative and Performing Arts. Tarab Cello Ensemble Florent Renard-Payen Elizabeth Brown Adam Carter Susannah Kelly Kevin McFarland Alex Greenbaum Laura Metcalf Michael Midlarsky Past members Annie Barley Caroline Kang Benjamin R. Wensel