Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra: Meehae Ryo Plays Saint-Saëns

Internationally renowned cellist Meehae Ryo joins the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra for Saint-Saëns’s dazzling Cello Concerto No. 1, a showcase of lyricism and virtuosity. Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture opens with gripping intensity, and Mendelssohn’s radiant Italian Symphony provides a joyful finale.

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
Coriolan Overture, Op. 62

CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS
Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 33
Meehae Ryo, cello

FELIX MENDELSSOHN
Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90 “Italian”

Renowned for her breathtaking virtuosity and deeply expressive sound, Meehae Ryo is one of the most celebrated cellists of the Republic of Korea. Praised for performances that combine dazzling technical mastery with lyrical warmth, she has earned a distinguished career as both soloist and teacher, committed to sharing her artistry with audiences and students alike.

Ryo began studying cello at the age of six, quickly garnering national competition prizes in Korea before moving abroad to pursue her dream of becoming a true international musician. At sixteen, she entered the Juilliard School and later completed her Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Michigan.

Her international career has taken her to many of the world’s foremost orchestras, including the Berliner Symphony Orchestra, Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Toronto Philharmonia, Thailand Philharmonic, Martinu Philharmonic, Kaerntner Symphony Orchestra, Bulgarian National Radio Symphony, Korean Symphony Orchestra, and Seoul Philharmonic, among many others. In 2013, she performed the Brahms Double Concerto with Albena Danailova, concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic, at the Česky Krumlov Music Festival—broadcast live on Czech National Radio—and later appeared with the Budapest Symphony Orchestra MAValongside Berlin Philharmonic concertmaster Andreas Buschatz. She has also appeared in chamber music collaborations with the legendary pianist Martha Argerich, performing in festivals and concert halls that highlight her artistry on the international stage.

Ryo has graced the stage of the world’s great halls, including Musikverein Golden Hall, Carnegie Hall, Berliner Philharmonie, Hercules Hall, Verdi Hall, Smetana Hall, Dvořák Hall, Liszt Hall, and the Auditorium della Conciliazione.

Her discography includes Schumann’s Cello Concerto with the Prague Radio Symphony (Sony Classical) and her acclaimed 2013 recording of the Elgar and Saint-Saëns Cello Concertos with the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra on Deutsche Grammophon. As a respected musician and educator based in Vienna, she teaches masterclasses at top institutions such as the University of Vienna and Shanghai Conservatory, and serves on juries for major competitions including the Enescu and Khachaturian.

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