David Bjella
Associate Professor of Music (Cello)
A native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, cellist David Bjella has a multi-faceted career as a teacher, chamber musician, orchestral player and soloist. He is associate professor of cello and director of the chamber music program at Stetson University as well as co-principal of the IRIS Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Michael Stern and a member of the Inman Piano Trio. He was one of the featured IRIS chamber musicians for the Naxos-released CD "Music of Stephen Hartke," which was chosen by the New York Times as a Top 10 Classical Recording of 2003. Bjella has also served as visiting associate professor of cello at Florida State University, professor of cello at the University of Central Florida and taught in the Valade Master Teacher program at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan.
Education
- B.M., Drake University
- M.M., Peabody Conservatory
Course Topics
- Studio Cello
- Orchestral Excerpts
- Chamber Music
- String Methods
Research Interests
- Most recently the Elgar Cello Concerto at the Royal College of Music and at Edward Elgar's birthplace. This full summer grant of research also included coachings with the cellist, Raphael Wallfisch.
Publications
- Chamber music at the Orfeo Festival in Vipiteno Italy
- Rocky Mountain Summer Music Festival
- 2003 Naxos recording of the music of Stephen Hartke, hailed by the New York Times as a Top 10 Classical Recording of 2003.
