By THIRSTY

Cuban-American cellist, Thomas Mesa, is a soloist, chamber musician, teacher and doctoral candidate at the Manhattan School of Music where he studies with Julia Lichten. He is a member of St. Petersburg Piano Quartet and has toured with Itzhak Perlman and Proteges, both nationally and internationally. He has performed in ensembles or as a soloist at: Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall and WMP Music Hall in New York; Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami; Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in Virginia; Jordan Hall of the New England Conservatory in Boston; and, on PBS's television program, From the Top.

Recently, Mesa won at the 2016 Sphinx Competition (Detroit). His other awards include: First Place – Thaviu Competition for String Performance (Chicago 2013); First Place – Alhambra Orchestra Concerto Competition (Miami 2006); Semi-Finalist – Naumburg International Cello Competition (New York 2015); and, Ray Millette Young Artist's Award and Certificate of Merit in Music from the City of Miami and Outstanding Musicianship award from New World Symphony (Miami 2006).

Thomas Mesa

Mesa is the Strings Director at The Gould Academy in Maine through the Distance Learning Program at Manhattan School of Music, is on the faculty at St. Petersburg International Music Academy and is a teaching artist at The Mozart Academy at John Jay College in New York.

His extensive orchestral experience includes: principal cellist for the Northwestern Symphony Orchestra; The Juilliard Orchestra and ensembles in New York; the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra in Boston; and, principal cellist of Greater Miami Youth Symphony.

Mesa is a graduate of The Juilliard School (B.M.) and Northwestern University (M.M.) where he was the recipient of the Richard and Helen Thomas Fellowship and Graduate Program Honors. He plays on a cello made in 1826 by Richard Tobin.

Thomas Mesa is a very talented musician on the move both in performance and in academia and Stay Thirsty Magazine is proud to name him our THIRSTY SPOTLIGHT artist for Spring 2016. 

Links:

Thomas Mesa
Manhattan School of Music