Rosalind Leavell

Dr. Rosalind Leavell began studying cello at age six with former Principal Cellist of the Philadelphia Orchestra William Stokking. She received a Bachelor of Music degree in Cello Performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music, and then continued her education at the University of Minnesota where she earned her Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees. She has performed as a substitute cellist with the Minnesota Orchestra, the North Carolina Symphony, and the Charleston Symphony Orchestra. In addition, she was the principal cellist of the St. Cloud Symphony Orchestra, a fellowship recipient at the Aspen Music Festival and School, and regularly performs with the North Carolina Opera Orchestra. Dr. Leavell is a founding member of the Lyricosa Quartet and performs in venues all across North Carolina with violinists Carol Chung and Lucas Scalamogna, and violist Simon Ertz. Recently they have performed in the Cherry Hill Concert Series, the Candlelight Concerts, and the Classical Music Sundays at the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities.

Dr. Leavell received her long-term Suzuki Cello training through Book 4 with Dr. Melissa Kraut at the Cleveland Institute of Music and studied Cello Pedagogy with Tanya Remenikova at the University of Minnesota. A passionate teacher, Dr. Leavell has experience teaching students of all ages and levels. She was on the cello faculty of the Yinghua Academy Conservatory of Music and was the Graduate Teaching Assistant of Tanya Remenikova at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Leavell is currently on the faculty of Triangle Area Suzuki Talent Education, a Suzuki school in Raleigh, as well as the North Carolina Chamber Music Institute, where she coaches youth chamber music groups. She also maintains a large private cello studio in Raleigh. 

Dr. Leavell has won first prizes at the Thursday Musical Young Artist Scholarship Competition, the Schubert Club Scholarship Competition, the Mary West Solo Competition, and the Kenwood Symphony Orchestra’s Masters Concerto and Aria Competition. She has been featured on Classical Minnesota Public Radio, and has performed as a soloist with the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra and the Kenwood Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Leavell’s principal teachers include William Stokking, Marion Feldman, Stephen Geber, Richard Weiss, Melissa Kraut, and most recently, Tanya Remenikova. She currently lives in Raleigh with her husband Nathaniel, who is also a cellist, and their two very friendly Bengal cats and Rhodesian Ridgeback dog.