Mara Finkelstein

Mara Finkelstein studied cello at the Gnessin College of Music and the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow before coming to the U.S. in 1989.

Ms. Finkelstein was Principal Cellist of the Moscow Symphony Orchestra and the only woman in the all men orchestra. She toured in Europe as a member of the New European Strings, and recently played with that group in a series of virtual recordings during the pandemic.

She serves as Principal Cello of the Northwest Sinfonietta Chamber Orchestra and Bellevue Philharmonic. Mara has performed with the Seattle Symphony, Seattle Opera, Pacific Northwest Ballet, the Cornish Chamber Series, the Silsbee Piano Trio, the Seattle International Music Festival, the Governor’s Chamber Music Series, the Bacchus Trio, the Fear No Music Twentieth Century Ensemble, and the Paley Music Festival in France. She has appeared regularly with the Music of Remembrance series since its inaugural year, and is a member of the Europa Piano Trio.

A cello teacher with an international reputation, Mara maintains a large teaching studio and is on a faculty of SPU and PLU. She is vice president of the Applebaum Violin Shop, and is president of the Cello Mundo Foundation.