Toronto native Matthew Christakos has accepted a position as the Associate Principal Cello of the New York Philharmonic in the Paul and Diane Guenther Chair. His appointment was effective January 2024.
Matthew began to play the cello at the age of four. He went on to study music at the RCM’s Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy for Young Artists. During his time there, he won the concerto competition, and performed as a soloist with the Academy Chamber Orchestra. Other honours include:
- Winner of the 2019 Canada Council for the Arts’s Michael Measures Prize;
- Second prize at the Canadian Music Competition 2019
- First prize at the 2017 Toronto Kiwanis Music Festival President’s Trophy Competition.
Matthew’s musical education included performing with the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. He toured Canada and Spain as featured soloist with the NYOC.
Matthew Christakos performs with Alison Kim, Violin, Hannah Corbett, Violin and Michael Langford, Viola: Dvořák – String Quartet #10 Op. 51 in E Flat (NYO 2019 Chamber Music recital):
He then continued his studies at the Curtis Institute of Music, where he also served as principal cello in the Curtis Symphony Orchestra.
His music practice also includes teaching. Matthew was on the cello faculty at the Music Niagara’s 2020 Performance Academy, as well as at The Dream School in Philadelphia.
Congratulations to Matthew!
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