Kevin Krentz Cello
Present
Kevin Krentz is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. Although he began his musical life as a cellist at 12, he soon dropped the cello to sing for the rest of his youth. He only decided to devote his energies to the cello at the age of 20 after finally seeing the instrument’s potential.
He then studied with Gary Hardie at Baylor University where he was three quarters of the way through a pre-med program. Kevin made quick progress and thereafter studied with Florian Kitt of the Hochschule in Vienna, was assistant to Owen Carman at Michigan State University and The Meadowmount School for Strings, and was assistant to Toby Saks at the University of Washington. Kevin has performed in Masterclass for Janos Starker, Matt Haimovitz, Paul Katz, and Timothy Eddy. From his late start, Kevin has gone on to perform throughout the U.S. as well as Austria, Italy, Canada and Great Britain as recitalist and soloist.
Partially due to his late studies of the cello, Dr. Krentz has done extensive research in cello technique. He is an expert of many of these techniques as well as how to teach them successfully. He is also an innovator and inventor and is the founder of Krentz String Works. He is widely known for his Krentz Modulator which is now used by players of all major symphonies around the world.
In 2000 Kevin was a winner at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, with his clarinet, piano, and cello trio, In Flight 3. With Finisterra, Kevin was a winner in the 2005 Greenlake National Chamber Music Competition where they also won the Audience Prize. In 2004 Finisterra won the Silver Medal at the Zinetti International Chamber Music Competition in Verona, Italy against ensembles from every continent and 20 countries. In 2006, Finisterra was invited to perform and stay in London for extensive collaboration with the famed Florestan Trio. In addition to his chamber music credits Kevin has also won several concerto competitions and the Ladies Musical Club of Seattle Award/Tour Competition. He has been featured on NPR as well as KING FM’s Live! By George program and has performed throughout the U.S. to critical acclaim.
Kevin was Assistant Principal Cellist for maestro Gustav Meijer in the Lansing Symphony Orchestra and has performed with the Chamber Music Ann Arbor Spring Festival as well as the Seattle Chamber Music Festival, San Juan Island Festival, and the Methow Valley Music Festival among others. He has performed with many different ensembles including the Biava String Quartet, and Seattle Chamber Players.
Since 2007, Kevin has been Artistic Director of the Methow Valley Chamber Music Festival and is Artist-In-Residence at both the Phoenix Series in New York City, NY as well as the Seasons Hall in Yakima, WA. with the Finisterra Trio. The Finisterra Trio enjoys a close connection to composer Daron Hagen, having commissioned two of his trios and a chamber opera. In 2008, Finisterra Trio recorded all four of Hagen’s trios for the Naxos label which will be released later this year.
Kevin is very active as a recording studio session player in Seattle where he can be heard on many major films, as well as commercials, video games, and CD’s from Dave Matthews Band to Evanescence. Kevin can also be heard as the solo cellist on the movie, Bordertown. Sought after for his ability to improvise his own parts, Kevin has lent his talents to countless other projects as well.
Kevin Krentz is the delighted father of Elena, 14 and Jesse, 12 and Katherine, 8.