The School of Music, Theatre, and Dance welcomes Dr. Meredith Blecha-Wells as assistant professor of cello. Dr. Blecha-Wells previously served as professor of cello at Oklahoma State University for 16 years. She received her D.M.A. in Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music and has master's and bachelor's degrees from Indiana University. Dr. Blecha-Wells has appeared throughout the United States as a guest artist, clinician, and performer.
“We are excited to have Meredith Blecha-Wells join the CSU string faculty," said Ron Francois, head of the strings area at CSU. "Meredith is a wonderful cellist and teacher and brings a wealth of professional experience and expertise to her work. We look forward to many collaborations!”
About Meredith Blecha-Wells
Praised for her "beautifully full and lyrically strong tone" by Gramophone Magazine, Meredith Blecha-Wells is a sought-after performer and instructor. She has played throughout much of the United States, Europe, Australia, South America, and Asia.
As a recording artist, Dr. Blecha-Wells has released several CDs spanning the solo, chamber music, and orchestral space. Her solo album was described as "technically dazzling" (the Whole Note), and she was praised for her "lyrical warmth and her powerful athleticism" (Classical Music Discoveries). Dr. Blecha-Wells recordings can be found on labels including Naxos, Navona, and Onyx Lane Productions and broadcast on numerous radio stations such as WFMT (Chicago, Illinois), WMBR (Cambridge, Massachusettes), KALX (Berkley, California), WRUV (Burlington, Vermont), WCNY (Syracuse, New York), KUCO (Edmond, Oklahoma), among others.
Dr. Blecha-Wells previously served as professor of cello at Oklahoma State University, where she was awarded the College of Arts and Sciences Junior Faculty Award for Scholarly Excellence and the First Lady of OSU Distinguished Music Professor award. A passionate pedagogue, Dr. Blecha-Wells is committed to raising the efficiency and joy of learning. Her students have gone on to remarkable programs, including the Juilliard School, the New England Conservatory, the Eastman School of Music, Rice University, the University of Michigan, the Manhattan School of Music, the San Francisco Conservatory, Northwestern University, Indiana University, the Cleveland Institute of Music, the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the University of Southern California, DePaul University, and the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. Additionally, her students have won several competitions, including the Classics Alive Artists, Enkor International Competition, American Protégé Competition, Ad Astra String Competition, MTNA, and Hyechka String Competition. Dr. Blecha-Wells students have also been selected to participate in prestigious festivals, including the National Youth Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra 2, Aspen Music Festival, Brevard Music Festival, Eastern Music Festival, Green Mountain Music Festival, and several others.
Dr. Blecha-Wells received a bachelor's and master's in Cello Performance from Indiana University, where she studied under Janos Starker and Helga Winold. She also holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music, where she served as the teaching assistant to Distinguished Professor Alan Harris. Additional studies include festival participation at the Taos School of Music, the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, the Spoleto Festival USA, the National Repertory Orchestra, and the Bowdoin International Music Festival.