ABOUT

 

Cellist.

The cello is my voice, my song without words. It reveals my deepest thoughts and feelings in a way that nothing else can. My (very biased) opinion is that the cello is the most beautiful musical instrument on earth!

TEACHER.

I love brainstorming, strategizing, and making connections in order to inspire others to learn and grow! All of this is wrapped up in what it means to me to be a teacher.

PHILOMATH.

(student of life). One of the greatest joys I can think of is learning something new, whether in academics, a new skill, sport, or language. I love breaking the boundaries of my own knowledge!

 

BELIEVER.

My love for God gives me the love and purpose to live life to the fullest. My hope is that through a glimmer of God’s love, whether caught in a Bible verse, musical piece, out in nature or someplace else, others might find their identity and purpose in the One who made us and cares so much for us.

WIFE.

I am so grateful to be on this journey of life with my partner and best friend. He is also my greatest collaborator, accomplishing projects together that I would have never been able to do on my own, such as our recent benefit concert project Mozart & More and multi-city fundraising Tour pour Ukraine.

MOM.

Sometimes it means chasing a toddler, often it means fragmented sleep, but always it means carrying your heart outside of yourself and experiencing one of life’s sweetest blessings and greatest fun on a daily basis in getting to see life again through the eyes of a child!

 

If any of this sounds interesting to you and you would like to know more, read the long and short of it here:

  • Mari Coetzee (cello, baroque cello) is a versatile performer & educator who is passionate about music from the Renaissance and Baroque to the present day. Included in CBC Music’s 30 Top Canadian Classical Musicians under 30, Mari has performed at Carnegie Hall’s 3 halls, as soloist with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and with the Orchestra Symphonique de Quebec among others. A frequent recitalist and chamber musician, Mari has performed across the USA, Canada, France, Switzerland, and South Africa. She received her Master’s of Music from The Juilliard School studying with Richard Aaron and also studied Baroque Cello with Phoebe Carrai in Juilliard’s Historical Performance department. She currently makes her home in the Edmonton area with her husband, their 3 & 1 yr old kids and dog Teddy.

  • EDUCATION

    The Juilliard School, Master of Music, 2020 (5-year BM/MM honors accelerated program)

    The Juilliard School, Bachelor of Music, Academic Honors Track, 2015 – 2019

    INSTRUCTORS

    Principle Instructors: Richard Aaron (2015 – 2020), Philippe Muller, Frans Helmerson, John Kadz

    Masterclasses: Steven Isserlis (MediciTV livestream), Gary Hoffman, Laurence Lesser, Hans Jørgen Jensen

    Chamber Music Coaches: The Juilliard Quartet, The Tacáks Quartet, Ensemble InterContemporain

    PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE

    ORCHESTRAL

    Symphony of the Kootenays - Section, 2022 - 2023

    The Firebird Symphony and Chorus - Associate Principal, 2021

    Camerata New Jersey - Associate Principal, Merkin Hall, Kaufmann Center, New York, 2020

    Juilliard Opera - Basso Continuo, Mozart Cosi fan tutti, Nimrod Pfeffer, MET Opera, New York, 2019

    Symphony in C - Section, Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall, New York, 2019

    Juilliard Orchestra & Chamber Orchestra - Principal, Associate Principal, Marin Alsop at Carnegie Hall, Barbara Hannigan, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Matthias Pintscher, 2015 – present

    Lucerne Festival Academy - Switzerland, Principal, Associate Principal, George Benjamin, David Fulmer, Ruth Reinhardt, 2019

    Tanglewood Music Center - Principal, Associate Principal, Section, Andris Nelsons, Thomas Adès, 2017

    SOLOIST WITH ORCHESTRA

    Edmonton Symphony Orchestra - Haydn Cello Concerto in D Major, 2017

    Orchestre Symphonique de Québec - Dvorak Cello Concerto in B Minor, 2014

    CHAMBER MUSIC

    Feature Recital with Three Sisters Trio - St. Albert Chamber Music Society Series, 2019

    Fontainebleau Music Festival & School - Paris & Fontainebleau, France, 2018

    Three Sisters Trio - Journey of Remembrance Single Release, Military Museum Remembrance Day 2017

    Weill Hall, Carnegie Hall - Dinuk Wijeratne String Quartet, Canada’s 150th Celebration Concert, 2017

    COMPETITIONS & AWARDS

    Canadian Music Competition Stepping Stone - Semi-Finalist, 2018 & 2019

    New York Philharmonic Global Academy - Finalist, 2016

    Shean Strings Competition - Edmonton, AB, First Prize & Best Test Piece, 2015

    SPECIAL INTERESTS

    Morse Concert Teaching Artist, Juilliard Office of Community Engagement, 2019 – 2020

    Baroque Cello, Phoebe Carrai, Juilliard Historical Performance Dept., 2018 – 2019

    Gluck Community Service Fellowship, Office of Community Engagement, 2016 – 2020

    New Juilliard Ensemble, The Juilliard School, 2016 – 2020

    AXIOM Contemporary Music Ensemble, The Juilliard School, 2015 – 2020

    Languages: Afrikaans (fluent written & spoken), French, (2nd year written & spoken)

  • For a folder of downloadable high resolution headshots to be used for publicity purposes please follow this link and reach out to me directly through the contact page to request permission for use.