From the United States to Europe to the Middle East and Asia, Israeli cellist Amit Peled – a musician of profound artistry and charismatic stage presence – is acclaimed as one of the most exciting instrumentalists on the concert stage today. At 6’5″ tall, Peled started life as a basketball player and was called “larger than life” when he enveloped his cello and “Jacqueline du Pré in a farmer’s body.” Peled often surprises audiences with the ways he breaks down barriers between performers and the public, making classical music more accessible to wider audiences. Tim Smith of the Baltimore Sun reflected on a recent performance: Peled did a lot of joking in remarks to the audience. His amiable and inviting personality is exactly the type everyone says we’ll need more of if classical music is to survive.

During the 2014/15 season, Peled will continue sharing with audiences around the world the sound of the historic cello of Pablo Casals. The instrument, a Goffriler ca. 1733, was personally handed to him by the Maestro’s widow, Mrs. Marta Casals Istomin. Some of the upcoming highlights with this historic cello include a 20-city US recital tour entitled “Homage to Pablo Casals” culminating in a performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington, recording the Miaskovsky Cello Concerto for Naxos, and a return trip to Asia for recitals and performances with the National Symphony of Taiwan to name a few. As an advocate of modern music, Peled will also premier a solo piece written especially for him by composer Lera Auerbach.

Peled has performed as a soloist with many orchestras and in the world’s major concert halls such as: Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall, New York; Salle Gaveau, Paris; Wigmore Hall, London; Konzerthaus, Berlin; and Tel Aviv’s Mann Auditorium. Following his enthusiastically received Alice Tully Hall concerto debut playing the Hindemith cello concerto, the New York Times stated: Glowing tone, a seductive timbre and an emotionally pointed approach to phrasing that made you want to hear him again.

During the 2011/12 season, Mr. Peled embarked on an extensive concerto debut tour in the US and Germany with the Nordwest Philharmonie, performing both Shostakovich Concerto No. 1 and Victor Herbert’s Cello Concerto, visiting nineteen different cities. Moreover, Peled joined the legendary Krzysztof Penderecki for his cello concerto in Chicago’s Millennium Park; performed the Elgar and Shostakovich concertos with Maestro Michael Stern and the IRIS Orchestra; performed Haydn’s C Major Cello Concerto with Nicola Luisotti and the San Francisco Opera Orchestra; and, performed the Schumann Concerto with the Israel Chamber Orchestra. After an enthusiastic recital debut at the Kennedy Center, Mr. Peled will return to that prestigious stage in the 2012/13 season.

As a recording artist, Mr. Peled will release his fourth Centaur Records CD following three hugely successful installments “The Jewish Soul,” “Cellobration,” and “Reflections.” As an active chamber musician, Peled is a founding member of the famed Tempest Trio with pianist Alon Goldstein and violinist Ilya Kaler. Their Dvorak CD on Naxos has been described as “The best ‘Dumky’ on disc ever!”

Mr. Peled is also a frequent guest artist, performing and giving master classes at prestigious summer music festivals such as the Marlboro Music Festival, Newport Music Festival, Seattle Chamber Music Festival, Heifetz International Music Institute, Schleswig Holstein and Euro Arts Festivals in Germany, Gotland Festival in Sweden, Prussia Cove Festival in England, The Violoncello Forum in Spain, and the Mizra International Academy and Festival in Israel.

Amit Peled has been featured on television and radio stations throughout the world, including NPR’s “Performance Today,” WGBH Boston, WQXR New York, WFMT Chicago, Deutschland Radio Berlin, Radio France, Swedish National Radio & TV, and Israeli National Radio & TV.

One of the most sought after cello pedagogues, Mr. Peled is a Professor at the Peabody Conservatory of Music of the Johns Hopkins University.