Walter Gray – Pricipal
has amazingly survived 30 seasons with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra after attending the Curtis Institute of Music and co-founding the Kronos Quartet. During those years with the SSO he has been featured as soloist several times, including the world premier of a new concerto by David Kechley. “Gray played with his usual intensity and flair…the cello’s lyrical possibilities are realized.” (The Seattle Times) Never one to rest on his laurels, he has also been on the faculties of the University of North Texas, Western Washington University, State University of New York at Geneseo and is currently enjoying afternoons with his students at Seattle University.
Mr. Gray has recorded for Delos, CRI, New Albion, Klavier and Mode. He has also served as Recording Producer for the London Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Northwest Chamber Orchestra, New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra, and the New Performance Group. As a founding member of the new music ensemble Quake, Mr. Gray produced and performed on the CD Seven Mirrors, music of Chinary Ung, on New World Records. Quake was recently featured in a performance at the Zagreb Biennale, Zagreb, Croatia.
During the summer Mr. Gray has performed at the Santa Barbara Chamber Music Festival. “The evening closed with a shatteringly beautiful rendition of Samuel Barber’s Sonata for Violoncello and Piano (1932) by cellist Walter Gray.” He has been Principal Cello with the New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra for 24 years and recently premiered Voice of the Wood, a concerto for cello quartet and orchestra by Russell Peck. He has also participated in the Marrowstone, Waterloo, Mostly Mozart, Mt. Gretna, Olympic, Cabrillo, and Tidewater Music Festivals.