Acclaimed for his inspirational performances and eloquent musicianship, Paul Watkins enjoys a remarkably varied and distinguished career as soloist, chamber musician and conductor. He is the Artistic Director of the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival and in 2019, he was appointed Professor of Cello at the Yale School of Music.

He has performed as concerto soloist with prestigious orchestras throughout the world under eminent conductors including Bernard Haitink, Paavo Berglund, Leonard Slatkin, Sakari Oramo, Gianandrea Noseda, Sir Mark Elder, Sir Andrew Davis, Sir Charles Mackerras, Andris Nelsons, Edo de Waart, Hannu Lintu and Vasily Petrenko.

A dedicated chamber musician, Watkins was a member of the Nash Ensemble from 1997 until 2013, when he joined the Emerson String Quartet. With the quartet he traveled extensively, performing at major international festivals including Tanglewood, Aspen, Ravinia, Edinburgh, Berlin and Evian, and has collaborated with artists such as Emanuel Ax, Yefim Bronfman, Evgeny Kissin, Renée Fleming and Barbara Hannigan. He is a regular guest artist of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.

He took first prize in the 2002 Leeds Conducting Competition, and has held the positions of Music Director of the English Chamber Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of the Ulster Orchestra. In recent seasons he made his conducting debuts with the Minnesota Orchestra, Detroit Symphony and Omaha Symphony.

His extensive discography as a cellist includes over 70 recordings, including 18 solo albums for Chandos. His first recording as a conductor, of the Britten and Berg violin concertos with Daniel Hope, received a Grammy nomination.

Watkins plays on a cello made by Domenico Montagnana and Matteo Goffriller in Venice, c.1730.

Sponsored by Gail & Ira Mondry

Paul will be performing in the following concerts –

Festival in Residence: Ann Arbor – Kerrytown Concert House, June 8 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Opening Night: The Creative Essence – Seligman Performing Arts Center, June 9 @ 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Tasting Notes: Flavors of Europe – Monger’s Provisions – Berkley, June 12 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Crossing Borders – Kirk in the Hills, June 13 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Written for the Stars – St. Hugo of the Hills, June 18 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Revolution and Romanticism – St. Hugo of the Hills, June 20 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Groundbreaking Originals – Temple Beth El, June 21 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

Creative Perfection – Seligman Performing Arts Center, June 22 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm