Hannah Collins

Cello

Cellist Hannah Collins, winner of De Link Competition 2010 for contemporary interpretation, is a dynamic performer and collaborator devoted to diverse forms of musical and multimedia expression. With support from the Presser Foundation, Hannah spent 2009-2011 in France and The Netherlands researching and performing contemporary cello repertoire.  While living abroad, she commissioned and premiered several unconventional works for solo cello including Monologue (2011), a 20-minute piece for speaking, singing and acting cellist by Dutch composer Patrick van Deurzen. With New Morse Code, her duo with percussionist Michael Compitello, Hannah continues to premiere new works and collaborate with composers, singers, dancers, and actors on new arrangements and interdisciplinary performances.

Hannah is also an active performer of early music, appearing frequently with the Quodlibet Ensemble, the Sebastian Chamber Players, and New York Baroque Inc.  She served as the lead continuo player on the 2009 Naxos recording of the Bach and Mendelssohn Magnificats with Yale Schola Cantorum, conducted by Simon Carrington, and in 2011-2012 she was a visiting fellow at the Yale School of Music, studying 17th and 18th c. chamber music with Baroque violinist Robert Mealy.

In 2011, Hannah received a Master’s degree from the Royal Conservatory of The Hague.  She also holds degrees in biomedical engineering and music from Yale University.  Her teachers have included Stefan Reuss, Ole Akahoshi, Aldo Parisot, and Michel Strauss.  She has been invited to give solo and chamber music performances at festivals throughout Europe and North America including Orford Centre d'arts (CA), Kneisel Hall (US), NJO (NL), Aldeburgh Festival (UK) and Musique de Chambre à Giverny (FR). Hannah is currently a fellow of the Academy, a program of Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School and the Weill Music Institute in partnership with the NYC Department of Education. As part of her Academy program, she teaches at I.S. 61 William A. Morris in Staten Island and performs in New York City as a member of Ensemble ACJW.