Dr. Kim Cook

Biography

Hailed as "the superb American cellist" (Die Rheinpfalz, Frankfurt), Kim Cook is acclaimed for her "truly glorious tone" (Musical Opinion, London) and "ravishing colors and textures" (New York Concert Review, Carnegie Hall). She has performed as a soloist in various countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, China, Israel, Jordan, Latin America, and the United States. Ms. Cook has toured extensively as an International Artistic Ambassador for the U.S. State Department, presenting concerts and master classes around the world. Her performances have been broadcasted on television and radio in Brazil, China, and the United States. She has recorded concertos by Dvorak, Schumann, Lalo, Saint-Saëns, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, and Strauss, along with Haydn solo sonatas and works by Kodaly, Crumb, and Hindemith. In 2016, she recorded a CD featuring premieres of works for solo cello by Paul Reale on the NAXOS label. A graduate of Yale University and the University of Illinois, Ms. Cook studied with Gabriel Magyar, Aldo Parisot, Alan Harris, and Janos Starker. Before her current position as Distinguished Professor at Penn State, she was the principal cellist of the São Paulo Symphony under the direction of Eleazar de Carvalho and taught at New Mexico State. At Penn State, Ms. Cook has developed significant cello studios that attract talented cellists from Europe and the United States, forming the 26-member Penn State Cello Choir, recognized for its performances at Penn State Cello Festivals. Her students have won prestigious awards and have received assistantships and scholarships to attend excellent graduate programs, with many currently occupying positions in orchestras and music schools in the United States, Germany, Brazil, and Taiwan. Professor Cook was Penn State's inaugural laureate for the 2008–09 academic year, enhancing her role as a highly visible representative for the university.

Research Interests