{{short description|American cello virtuoso|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Carter Brey | genre = Classical | instrument = Cello | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1954|9|19}} | birth_place = Montclair, New Jersey | associated_acts = New York Philharmonic | occupation = Cellist, Curtis Institute of Music professor }} <!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:CarterBrey.jpg|right|thumb|[http://www.cello.org/newsletter/articles/brey.htm Carter Brey]]] --> '''Carter Brey''' (born 1954) is an American cellist. He had a solo career from 1981 until 1996 when he became the principal cellist of the New York Philharmonic.<ref name="NYT">{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/01/12/nyregion/the-lessons-of-happy-musical-marriages.html?scp=9&sq=Carter%20Brey&st=cse| title=The Lessons of Happy Musical Marriages| first=Leslie | last=Kandell | work=The New York Times | date=January 12, 1997 | accessdate=March 23, 2009}}</ref>
==Biography== Carter Brey was born in Montclair, New Jersey<ref name="NYT"/> and grew up in Westchester County, New York. He began playing the violin at age 9 and the cello at age 12 in school, although he did not seriously consider becoming a professional musician until he was 16. He studied under Laurence Lesser and Stephen Kates at Johns Hopkins University's Peabody Institute, from which he graduated in 1976.<ref>{{cite news | title=Carter Brey to Retire from Principal Cello of the New York Philharmonic | url=https://magazine.peabody.jhu.edu/2026/04/09/carter-brey-to-retire-from-principal-cello-of-the-new-york-philharmonic/ | work=The Peabody Post | author= | date=2026-04-09 | access-date=2026-04-20}}</ref> He continued his studies with Aldo Parisot at Yale University, where he was a Wardell Fellow and a Houpt Scholar. He taught at the University of South Florida in between his time at Peabody and Yale. In 1979, he joined the Cleveland Orchestra where he played for two seasons.<ref name="NYT2">{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/09/02/arts/a-soloist-decides-to-be-part-of-the-team.html?n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/B/Brey,%20Carter&&scp=1&sq=Carter%20Brey%20Peabody%20Institute%20&st=cse| title=A Soloist Decides To Be Part Of the Team| first=Allan | last=Kozinn | work=The New York Times | date=September 2, 1996 | accessdate=March 23, 2009}}</ref>
Brey came to international attention in 1981 when he won the 3rd Prize of the Rostropovich International Cello Competition, which led to his playing the Robert Schumann Cello Concerto under the baton of Mstislav Rostropovich with the National Symphony Orchestra in 1983. In 1982 he won the Young Concert Artists International Auditions, which led to his New York City recital debut at the 92nd Street Y.<ref name="NYT"/> These competition wins kick-started his career as a cello soloist and he has since performed with almost every major symphony orchestra in the United States under such conductors as Claudio Abbado, Lorin Maazel, Kurt Masur, Semyon Bychkov, Sergiu Comissiona, and Christoph von Dohnanyi.<ref name="NYT2"/>
As a chamber musician, Brey has performed with the Tokyo String Quartet, the Emerson String Quartet, New York Youth Symphony, and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. He has performed at the Spoleto festivals in the United States and Italy, the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, the La Jolla Chamber Music Festival and elsewhere.<ref>{{cite web | title=ICS Exclusive Interview!!! Conversation with Carter Brey | url=https://www.cello.org/Newsletter/Articles/brey.htm | work=Internet Cello Society | author=Tim Janof | date=2000-04-28 | access-date=2026-04-06}}</ref> Brey joined the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music in 2008 and held the Nina and Billy Albert Chair in Cello Studies until the end of the 2020-2021 academic year.<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.curtis.edu/news/gary-hoffman-joins-curtis-institute-of-music-faculty-as-nina-and-billy-albert-chair-in-cello-studies/ | title=Gary Hoffman Joins Curtis Institute of Music Faculty as Nina and Billy Albert Chair in Cello Studies | publisher=Curtis Institute of Music | date=3 March 2021 | accessdate=2026-04-06}}</ref>
Brey lives in New York City. In March 2026, Brey announced his intention to retire from the New York Philharmonic as of summer 2026.<ref>{{cite news | title=Carter Brey To Retire From New York Philharmonic After 30 Seasons | url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Carter-Brey-To-Retire-From-New-York-Philharmonic-After-30-Seasons-20260326 | work=Broadway World | author=A.A. Cristi | date=2026-03-26 | access-date=2026-04-06}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.nyphil.org/about-us/artists/carter-brey/ New York Philharmonic page on Carter Brey] *Ovation Press, [http://ovationpress.com/c-41-brey-carter.aspx cello scores edited by Carter Brey] *[http://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin/make-table.cgi?Composer=BreyC Free scores] Mutopia Project *Audio: [https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1833159 Carter Brey and Christopher O'Riley, Live at NPR: Cellist and Pianist Perform, Discuss Their Music], National Public Radio, March 26, 2004 *Beth Nissen [https://web.archive.org/web/20080513110802/http://archives.cnn.com/2001/CAREER/trends/02/15/nyphil.cello/ Cellist Carter Brey: 'Renaissance lumber'], CNN, February 23, 2001 *Anne Midgette, [https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/03/arts/music-review-cellist-returns-to-1948.html "Cellist Returns to 1948"], ''The New York Times'', May 3, 2003 *Edward Rothstein, [https://www.nytimes.com/1984/02/08/arts/recitals-oboist-guitarist-and-cellist-carter-brey-cello-winner-of-award.html "Recitals: Oboist, Guitarist, and Cellist; Carter Brey, Cello, Winner of Award"], ''The New York Times'', February 8, 1984 *Noah Rothbaum, [https://web.archive.org/web/20080706024555/http://www.newrunner.com/article/0,7120,s6-243-410--8327-0,00.html "I'm a Runner: Carter Brey - This Principal Cellist with the New York Philharmonic proves that running is for everyone"], ''Runner's World'', August 2004.
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Brey, Carter}} Category:1954 births Category:Living people Category:American classical cellists Category:Curtis Institute of Music faculty Category:Musicians from Montclair, New Jersey Category:Yale University alumni Category:Peabody Institute alumni Category:Players of the New York Philharmonic Category:Players of the Cleveland Orchestra