“I play cello in the Bergamot Quartet. Two of us were already playing instruments made by David, so I was able to experience his artistry and craftsmanship up close. I really connected to the sound of our violist’s and first violinist’s instruments.  I had tried about 30 cellos and was beginning to feel hopeless, so I took a shot at commissioning David.

The process was exciting! He was very thoughtful about making me the perfect instrument throughout the entire experience.  I was blown away at how quickly the cello was made, and I couldn’t be happier with it.  It is warm, powerful, loud, and so easy to play all at once. I feel refreshed and inspired and genuinely have fun practicing now.”

Iréne has performed at venues such as Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and New York City Center. She is a member of the Bergamot Quartet, a New York-based string quartet committed to advocating, creating, and educating audiences about music by living composers. She also co-leads a chamber project with pianist Chelsea de Souza, dedicated to commissioning works by Asian-American composers, most recently funded by New Music USA. Additionally, she is a member of the Tal Yahalom Quintet, an eclectic group of performers from NYC’s jazz, contemporary classical, and Brazilian music scenes.

Ms. Han plays Opus 33  Cello 1

“Cello 3 – Opus 37, Little Red, is the first cello I’ve named in my 64 years of playing the cello. It is a gorgeous color and beautifully carved, a work of art. I get pleasure just looking at it. This wonderful instrument won me over immediately and makes me feel rejuvenated.”

Cellist Debbie Davis is a life-long professional musician, teacher, and musical organizer. She was a member of the Houston Symphony Orchestra, and for 25 years, was Principal Cellist of the Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra in Allentown, PA and President of the Pennsylvania Cello Society.

 Debbie graduated from the high school division of the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem and spent a year at the Paris Conservatory where she was awarded a First Medal in Cello. She received a Bachelor’s of Music cum laude from the Hartt School of Music and a Master’s of Music with a Performer’s Certificate award in Cello from the Indiana University School of Music in Bloomington, Indiana. Her teachers included Irving Klein, André Navarra, Bernard Greenhouse, Raya Garbousova and Fritz Magg. She played in the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, taught at the Reykjavik Conservatory, and was on the music faculty of Notre Dame University in South Bend, Indiana.  She founded and ran music camps in Pennsylvania for fourteen years, including string quartet camps, jazz camps, trumpet, flute, clarinet and old-time music camps. She came back to live in Chapel Hill in 2015 and is currently General Coordinator of the North Carolina Cello Society.

Yumi Kendall is a distinguished cellist, classical music ambassador, and changemaker, whose voice and vision are paving the way for future generations.

Since 2004, Ms. Kendall has been a dedicated and deeply active member of The Philadelphia Orchestra as assistant principal cello. She won the position at age 22, during her final year of studies at the Curtis Institute of Music. Over the past two decades, as a performer and pedagogue, Ms. Kendall has inspired, informed, and connected countless people as a passionate proponent of classical music. More recently, as a speaker, podcaster, and graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) degree program, she has catalyzed conversations to help people and organizations thrive.

As an orchestral and chamber musician, Ms. Kendall has played on many of the world’s prominent stages, including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Kimmel Center, Suntory Hall, and Musikverein. She has performed with the Marlboro Festival and tour, the East Coast Chamber Orchestra, and the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and has been featured as a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and National Symphony Orchestra, among others. In 2013, she was selected by the Philadelphia Orchestra’s Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin to receive the Orchestra’s C. Hartman Kuhn Award—given to “the member of The Philadelphia Orchestra who has shown ability and enterprise of such character as to enhance the standards and the reputation of The Philadelphia Orchestra.” She holds a Philadelphia Orchestra chair established for her in 2022 by supporters Elaine Woo Camarda and A. Morris Williams Jr.

Since graduating from UPenn with a MAPP degree in 2017, Ms. Kendall has appeared as a guest presenter and facilitator at conferences, retreats, and other events across various professional fields. Captivating as both a cellist and speaker, she is known for her authenticity, ebullience, and approachable style in communicating about classical music. Exemplifying her role as a changemaker, in 2023 Ms. Kendall launched the Tacet No More podcast with her longtime friend, Philadelphia Orchestra colleague Joseph Conyers. Their podcast raises provocative yet optimistic inquiries intended to shake up the status quo and reimagine the next era of classical music. To date, the podcast has featured an array of pioneering guests from across sectors.

Ms. Kendall is a 2004 graduate of Curtis and joined the faculty in 2024.

“My absolute favorite things about Cello Four are the ease of playing and tone production. It has a big, beautiful, noble tone and is the most comfortable and brilliant cello I’ve ever played.”

Oksana McCarthy has an active career as a chamber musician, orchestra performer, and educator. Oksana is a member of Charlotte Chamber Ensemble, performs regularly with Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and runs a successful cello studio.

Oksana has performed extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia, appearing at Sydney Opera House, Berlin Concert Hall, Munich Philharmonic Hall, Hercules Hall, The Concertgebouw, and Festspielhaus. Abroad, she has performed with Chamber Ensemble tours in numerous cities of countries: Belgium, Switzerland, France, Netherlands, Germany, Luxemburg, Austria, Poland, Gran Canaria, Australia, Norway, Canada, Spain, Italy, Russia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan. Highlights of her music collaborations include concerts with Maxim Vengerov, Zakhar Bron, Vadim Repin, Yuri Bashmet, and Viktor Tretyakov.

Locally, Oksana has performed at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Kravis Center, Miami’s Lincoln Theater and Belk Theater at Blumenthal Performing Arts.

Since moving to North Carolina in 2010 Oksana has been actively involved and invested in the musical community in Charlotte, North Carolina as a cellist, teacher, coach, and musical entrepreneur. Oksana has established a music studio where she developed a reputation as area’s foremost cellist teacher. 

Including her time in North Carolina, Oksana has been teaching cello for over a decade abroad and in the U.S. Oksana’s students have gone on to receive scholarships to various schools including the University of South Carolina and UNCC.

Oksana was born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Inspired by her mother, a professional cellist, she began her studies at age six. Oksana earned her Master of Music degree from Lynn University Conservatory of Music. She also holds Professional Performance degree from the same institution and a Bachelor of Music from University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich, Germany. Her major teachers include David Cole, Reiner Ginzel, Atham Mansirev and Olga Plotnikova.

“As a board member with the Violin society of America, I was fortunate to have a support role for the instrument competitions. In that capacity I played well over 100 cellos. I feel confident that David’s cellos are superior in workmanship and tone to any that I played.”

Nick purchased David’s cello Five in 2025.

In 2015 Mr. Lampo retired as Senior Vice President with the Risk and Regulatory Program Management area of Bank of America. During his 35 years in the IT industry, he has been Chief Information Officer for a start-up internet company, marketing manager for an I.T. consulting services firm and consulting division manager for a software development company. 

As a cellist, Nick has performed with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and as principal cellist with the Jacksonville, Florida Symphony and the Orlando Florida Symphony. In addition, he has performed internationally with various orchestras and chamber ensembles. 

He continues to perform chamber music and founded the Blue Ridge Chamber Players in 2005 which, in addition to performances throughout NC, brought the first professional Chamber Music series to West Jefferson NC. 

In addition to his service as VP and programming committee chair for the Violin Society of America (VSA), Mr. Lampo’s community service includes past board chair for the Charlotte Civic Orchestra and Friends of Music at Queens University. He has also served as board member for Charlotte Children’s Choir and Charlotte Coalition for Social Justice. 

Nick has attended the VSA Oberlin Bow Restoration and the VSA Oberlin Acoustics Workshops. In addition, he has attended the instrument maintenance workshops at the University of New Hampshire where he studied violin setup and repair. 

Mr. Lampo established the Blue Ridge String Instrument Company (BRSIC) in 2010 which he closed in 2020. BRSIC provided string instrument sales, maintenance and repair services to the students and string players in the Charlotte NC area.