Tomasz Zieba, Cello

Tomasz Zieba began his cello education at the age of seven at the Mieczyslaw Karlowicz School of Music in Krakow, Poland. In Poland he completed his cello studies after a year at the Academy of Music in Krakow under the instruction of Henryk Zarzycki. After receiving full artistic scholarships in the United States, he completed his Bachelor of Music degree in cello performance at Texas Christian University (Fort Worth, Texas) in the class of John Burton. Later he completed an Artist Certificate Diploma program and a Masters of Music degree in cello performance at Southern Methodist University (Dallas, Texas) in the classes of Ko Iwasaki and Christopher Adkins. Mr. Zieba has participated in many music festivals in the United States and abroad, polishing his cello performance craft with teachers like Stephen Geber, Ron Leonard, Desmond Hoebig and Brinton Smith. As a recitalist, chamber musician and ensemble member, Mr. Zieba has performed and taught mater classes in Poland, Spain, Austria, Germany, France, Mexico, Brazil and many cities in the United States. During the years 1997-2003 he served as Principal Cellist of the Irving Symphony Orchestra and Plano Symphony Orchestra. He also received several other orchestral appointments, including the New World Symphony, Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra and Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. In 2008 he recorded and gave the world premiere of Khanagov’s Cello Concerto No. 1, op. 9. In recent years, Mr. Zieba has participated in many master classes and music festivals, including European Musical Workshops in Kolobrzeg (Poland), Oficina de Música de Curitiba (Brazil) and Summer Music Festival (Oklahoma City). Mr. Zieba currently holds the Associate Principal Cello position with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra and is an Instructor of Cello and Chamber Music at the Bass School of Music at Oklahoma City University. He is also a member of the Brightmusic Chamber Ensemble and is a founder and directs the Classen Trio and Cellovoce Ensemble.