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Musicians of Rochester serves as a portrait of musical life in and around the greater Rochester, New York region.

Musicians of Rochester: Brian Donat

Cellist Brian Donat
provided
Cellist Brian Donat

His cello has floated to islands and scaled mountains.  Its sound has echoed across remote lakes and dense pine forests.

Brian Donat isThe Adirondack Cellist, and he's performed on wild peaks, in hunting cabins, and on lakeside docks.

Brian performed and taught across the Adirondack region for nearly a decade before moving to Webster, NY in November of 2017.  He has performed abroad in Italy and Australia, as well as with the Glens Falls Symphony, the Orchestra of Northern NY (Potsdam), the Battenkill Chorale (Saratoga Springs), Hubbard Hall Opera (Cambridge), the MostArts Festival (Alfred), and just about everywhere in between. He currently plays with the Southern Tier Symphony in Olean, and the Penfield Symphony Orchestra in Penfield.

As the Adirondack Cellist, he has won the WeddingWire Couples' Choice award for five years in a row for his wedding services; he's played for countless local events and productions and collaborated with soprano Holly McCormack as the duo Cello Voce. Brian currently teaches privately from his home in Webster and is an active freelancer across Western New York. When he's not playing the cello, he can usually be found playing outside - running hiking, biking, skiing or gardening.

Brian graduated from the Greatbatch School of Music at Houghton College in 2007.
 

 

Brenda Tremblay has served as weekday morning host on WXXI Classical since 2009.