Nuala McKenna

Violoncello · prinicipal

Nuala McKenna initially began learning the piano with her father at only four years old before switching to the cello soon thereafter. After completing her studies with Ulf Tischbirek at Lübeck College of Music, with Jean-Guihen Queyras in Freiburg, Ivan Monighetti (Basel) and Conradin Brotbek (Stuttgart), she then went on to take a Master’s degree with Conradin Brotbek. This German-Irish musician has been a member of the Balthasar Neumann Ensemble since 2012 and has performed regularly with the Camerata RCO since 2014. During the 2013/14 season Nuala McKenna was an Academy Student at the Concertgebouw Orchestra and from 2015 to 2017 she was also an Academy Student with The Deutsche Kammer­philharmonie Bremen.

As a chamber musician, McKenna has already performed with renowned musicians such as Maria João Pires, Boris Garlitsky, Augustin Dumay, Miguel da Silva and Olli Mustonen. In addition, this cellist has appeared at various festivals including Verbier Festival, the Southwell Music Festival and has also founded her own family festival: The Musikfest Kahleby. In 2018/19 McKenna was a finalist in the Dutch Classical Talent Awards which took her on a solo tour through all the well-known halls of The Netherlands. Her debut album of works for solo cello will be released in 2021.