Praised by The Strad magazine and The New York Times, internationally renowned cellist and conductor Amit Peled is acclaimed as one of the most exciting and virtuosic musicians on the concert stage today. Having performed in many of the world’s most prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall at the Lincoln Center in New York, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C., Salle Gaveau in Paris, Wigmore Hall in London, and the Konzerthaus Berlin, Peled has released over a dozen recordings on the Naxos, Centaur, Delos, and CTM Classics labels. Musical America named Peled one of the Top 30 Influencers of 2015.

Peled was appointed Music Director of CityMusic Cleveland beginning with the 2019-2020 season. Of his debut concerts leading the orchestra, The Cleveland Plain Dealer wrote, “In Amit Peled, CityMusic Cleveland has doubled its investment. Not only has it acquired a vibrant and energetic new music director, he is a cellist of noteworthy skill… He was passionate and intense, two qualities that were also evident in his conducting… Peled is an exciting choice to lead this plucky ensemble.”

Peled is also the conductor and artistic director of the Mount Vernon Virtuosi, an innovative chamber orchestra dedicated to building a platform for artistic growth and professional development for young talented players. Founded in 2018 by Peled, the ensemble cultivates dynamic musical growth by engaging audiences of all ages in exceptional performances and community events in concert halls, schools, hospitals, and other local community venues, including concerts geared specifically toward young children and their families. Through the generous donations of dedicated individuals, all regular season concerts are presented free of charge. Mount Vernon Virtuosi’s debut CD exploring the music of Mozart was released in 2019 on Peled’s label CTM Classics.

As an educator, Maestro Peled enjoys working with young students and has spent intensive time in recent seasons with both the Peabody Preparatory Chamber Orchestra and the Peabody Symphony Orchestra. In May 2019, Peled made his European conducting debut with Orquesta de Cámara de la Sierra de Guadarrama and will return for another engagement in 2023. In addition, he will make his conducting debut in Mexico in 2023 with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Xalapa.

Raised on a kibbutz in Israel, Amit Peled began playing the cello at age 10. During college, he won conducting competitions while studying with Maestro Shinik Hahm at Yale University and the late Maestra Tamara Brooks at New England Conservatory, planting a seed in Peled’s heart for what has become a combined love of sharing music with the public from the conducting podium as well as from the soloist riser. From 2012 through 2018, Peled performed on the Pablo Casals 1733 Goffriller cello, which was loaned to him personally by Casals’ widow, Marta Casals Istomin.

November 2022 — PLEASE DO NOT ALTER THIS BIOGRAPHY WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL

Watch Amit Peled’s conducting playlist on YouTube here.