2022 EMERGING ARTISTS

Described as “a world class musician” (Galena Gazette) who plays with “high energy and polish” (WQXR), cellist Anita Graef has earned recognition for her music making as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral performer. Notable appearances include features in Strings Magazine, as well as Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert series, and “Concerts from the Library of Congress.” She has also performed in recital as a guest
of various radio programs, including “Young Artists Showcase” on WQXR, WFMT, WGTE, WUOL, WOSU, WVPB, NPR and others. She serves as the Artistic Director and cellist of the Juliani Ensemble, an innovative, multi-faceted chamber ensemble, with whom she has performed extensively both nationally and internationally. Highlights of 2021/2022 include concerto debuts, notably with the Louisville Orchestra among others, recital performances at Columbia University, the New Lens Concert Series, “Live from WFMT,” and a residency at the University of Missouri.

She was recently named as the 2022 Gheens Young Artist, an award from the Gheens Foundation which sees her making her concerto debut with the Louisville Orchestra, as well performing, speaking and serving as an educator throughout the city. In 2021, she was announced as the recipient of the American Prize in Instrumental Performance. As a writer, her work has been published in Strings Magazine, where she serves as a frequent contributor.

She has performed at various music festivals, including as Artist-in-Residence at pianoSonoma, as a Fellow with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, as principal cellist at Brevard Music Festival, as assistant principal cellist of Miami Music Festival, as well as the Catskills High Peaks Music Festival and Credo Chamber Music Festival at Oberlin Conservatory. As an orchestral musician, frequent appearances include the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, originally as a recipient of the CSO-CCM Fellowship, as assistant principal of the Missouri Symphony, as well as performances with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Louisville Orchestra, and others.

Anita has had occasion to work with and perform for musicians such as Stephen Geber, Johannes Moser, Felix Wang, Roberto Diaz, Joel Smirnoff, Eric Kim, Charles Pickler, Yehuda Hanani, Martin Katz, Paul Watkins of the Emerson Quartet, Anne Martindale Williams, the Shanghai String Quartet, the Calidore Quartet, and the Chiara Quartet. Former teachers include Marc Johnson of the Vermeer Quartet, Hans Jorgen Jensen, and several members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She has performed in orchestras under the baton of maestros such as Leonard Slatkin, Miguel Harth-Bedoya, James Gaffigan, Peter Oundjian, David Efron, JoAnn Falletta, Rossen Milanov, Louis Langree, James Conlon and Keith Lockhart.

Born into a family of professional musicians, Anita grew up surrounded by music. She began piano studies at age two, while beginning to study cello at age four, later making her concerto debut at the age of twelve. She went on to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, where she studied with professor Anthony Elliott. Following this, she completed studies for a Master’s Degree at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, under the tutelage of Ilya Finkelshteyn.

When not making music, Anita enjoys reading, cooking, crocheting, weight lifting, hiking, spending time with friends and family, volunteer work and exploring new cities.

Anita performs on a modern Italian cello by Ferdinando Garimberti, dated 1923.

For more information, visit anitagraef.com.

Faith DeBow has served as collaborative pianist and Emerging Artist Coordinator on the leadership team of the Victoria Bach Festival since 2010.  Faith is sought after for both solo and collaborative performances as well as choral accompaniment and teaching. She enjoys a vibrant career based in the Central Texas region. Her playing has been heard in outer space at the International Space Station, performing Christmas music on video for astronauts working there during the holiday season.

Ms. DeBow has performed with opera singer Renée Fleming; conductors Peter Bay, Anton Coppola, Craig Hella Johnson, and Sebastian Lang-Lessing; and has performed the works of composers Jake Heggie, Libby Larsen, Roberto Sierra, and Michael Schelle. She has also premiered works by Donald Grantham, Cary Ratcliff, Jake Runestad, and John Muehleisen. In 2012, Ms. DeBow commissioned and premiered Brilliant Sky, a solo piano work by Colin Sorgi. She has served as rehearsal pianist in premieres composed by Stephen Paulus, Kevin Puts, Nico Muhly, Tarik O’Regan, Dan Welcher, Eric Banks, and Robert Kyr.