Hiro Matsuo, Cellist

Acclaimed by The New York Times as “striking,” cellist Hiro Matsuo has become one of the great talents of his generation. Matsuo is a member of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. In Cincinnati, he also serves as a co-artistic director of concert:nova, which aims "to transform hearts, minds and communities through thought provoking musical exploration."

An avid chamber musician, Matsuo has collaborated with distinguished artists such as Joshua Bell, David Aaron Carpenter, Roberto Díaz, Christoph Eschenbach, Midori Goto, Ida Kavafian, Alex Kerr, Yo-Yo Ma, Anne-Marie McDermott, Gil Shaham, and Joseph Silverstein, among others. He has served as principal cellist of the Metropolis Ensemble, Salomé Chamber Orchestra, and Solisti Ensemble. He has also performed with A Far Cry and Sejong Soloists.

Matsuo also enjoys collaborating with musicians outside the classical music genre. He has recorded for The Roots eleventh studio album “Undun.” To celebrate the release of the album, he appeared with the legendary band on NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. He has shared the stage with famed artists Natasha Bedingfield, John Legend, Rufus Wainwright, Florene Welch, and Michelle Williams.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Curtis Institute of Music and a Master’s degree from The Juilliard School. He has worked extensively with Gilda Barston, Carter Brey, Timothy Eddy, Hans Jørgen Jensen, David Soyer, and Peter Wiley.