Josh Weissenborn

Unlike many of my colleagues on the board, I went a different career path than pursuing a career as a professional cellist, having turned to number crunching instead. However, I was taught from a young age to love and appreciate the cello’s gifts as a means of communication of many different emotions. Even before touching a real cello (although I had my makeshift cello in hand), I remember listening to Rostropovich’s rendition of Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme and the piece that has most impacted my love for the instrument, Dvorak’s concerto, which I still cherish most of all pieces to this day. From the very moment that cassette tape played, I was transported into a completely different world. Listening to Rostropovich play these works built this ideal of sound that I would later strive to achieve.

When I finally convinced my parents to give me lessons, I immediately chose to study with Barton Frank, a protégé of Piatigorsky at Curtis. He was the principal cellist of the National and New Orleans Symphonies before turning to teaching, becoming professor of cello at Washington State University and Western Washington University. Although he had a reputation around the small city of Bellingham, WA for his oftentimes difficult and eccentric personality, he would become my mentor and the person who cultivated my passion for the instrument and inspired my continual search in achieving different sounds on the cello. He also introduced me to works outside of the standards, including Prokofiev’s extremely inventive op. 58 cello concerto. Locating works outside of the standards is also another passion that he instilled in me, something I hold to this day.

Some of my fondest memories in my eight years of study with Mr. Frank revolved around hearing stories of the greats: Heifetz, Piatigorsky, Rachmaninoff, Stern, Feuermann, Casals, Rose, Seidel, and Kreisler to name a few. I was mesmerized by the lives and experiences of these individuals. Sometimes after lessons, we would listen to their recordings, as well as recordings of him as soloist, which included his wonderful rendition of the premier performance of Hovhaness’s cello concerto (later given the official world premier by Starker in Seattle). He instilled in me an appreciation for the unique and individual sounds of the older generation of players, as well as an inquisitiveness about the lives and eccentricities of these musical geniuses.

I was fortunate to meet our board president, Kate Dillingham who has since become my cello mentor and good friend. Through Kate, I was introduced to the VCS and began attending events. My first event was a celebration of the life and career of another one of my cello idols, Leonard Rose. Hearing more about his life and personal details from those who knew him in various capacities brought me back to my earlier years with Mr. Frank, who has since passed on. I strongly believe in the mission of the VCS to carry forward memories of the diverse and distinguished members of yesteryears to future generations, as well as creating a welcoming environment for everyone who loves the cello, regardless of playing ability. For this reason, I joined the VCS board and will strive to build upon the traditions of this historic and unique organization for future generations of cello lovers to come.