Gabriel Hightower

Cellist Gabriel Hightower is an active orchestral and chamber musician and educator based in Columbia, Maryland. Gabriel began playing the cello at the age of 7 and started taking lessons at the age of 14. Gabriel holds degrees from the University of Maryland, College Park (B.M.) and Carnegie Mellon University (MM). Gabriel’s previous teachers include Dr. Benjamin Myers, Dr. Eric Kutz (a member of the Grant Park Orchestra), Anne Martindale Williams, and David Premo. In May 2021, he was awarded the Iris Artist Fellowship and worked with members of the Iris Collective, Michael Stern, and the Memphis Music Initiative.

Gabriel has performed with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Delaware Symphony Orchestra, National Philharmonic, Orchestral Lumos, National Repertory Orchestra, Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra, and the Igmar Thomas Revive Big Band. Gabriel has performed in masterclasses for Norman Fischer, Amit Peled, Zlatomir Fung, members of the St. Lawrence String Quartet and the Harlem String Quartet. He has also participated in music festivals, such as the National Repertory Orchestra in Breckenridge, Colorado, Brevard Summer Music Festival, and Sphinx Performance Academy. When he’s not performing, you can find Gabriel at Howard Community College, where he teaches the Cello Ensemble.