WATCH: Ilya Finkelshteyn featured in latest episode of Showcase with Barbara Kellar

The CCM professor and CSO principal cellist discusses the newly obtained Montagnana Cello

CET Cincinnati Public Television's arts and culture series Showcase with Barbara Kellar recently featured Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Principal Cellist and CCM faculty member Ilya Finkelshteyn. In the episode, Finkelshteyn discusses the newly obtained Montagnana Cello and gives a solo performance. 

The cello was crafted in 1730 by master luthier Domenico Montagnana in Venice, Italy, and the CSO has traced it's journey throughout the years. It was played by famous Italian cellist Carlo Alfredo Piatti (1822-1901) and by renowned British cellist May Mukle (1880-1963). Finkelshteyn has a postcard of Mukle with the cello, and there are other photos of her playing the instrument all over the world. The cello then traveled to the New York Philharmonic and the Minnesota Orchestra before making its way to Finkelshteyn and the CSO. 

Learn more about the Montagnana cello and enjoy a solo performance by Finkelshteyn in the latest episode of Showcase with Barbara Kellar.


About Cello Studies at CCM

The study of violoncello at CCM is strongly performance based. The cornerstone of all degree programs is private lessons with faculty, who serve as mentors for students and direct their individual musical, performing and teaching growth. 

The curriculum emphasizes the development of the well-rounded, holistic musician by providing a solid background in music history and theory as well as areas specific to each musical medium. Undergraduate students enjoy a close collaboration with the University of Cincinnati through a general education core that supplements their education with academic course work while graduate students specialize more precisely in their chosen field.

Featured image at the top: Ilya Finkelshteyn and Barbara Kellar during the "Showcase" episoide on CET.

Related Stories

1

Sugar overload killing hearts

November 10, 2025

Two in five people will be told they have diabetes during their lifetime. And people who have diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease. One of the deadliest dangers? Diabetic cardiomyopathy. But groundbreaking University of Cincinnati research hopes to stop and even reverse the damage before it’s too late.

2

Is going nuclear the solution to Ohio’s energy costs?

November 10, 2025

The Ohio Capital Journal recently reported that as energy prices continue to climb, economists are weighing the benefits of going nuclear to curb costs. The publication dove into a Scioto Analysis survey of 18 economists to weigh the pros and cons of nuclear energy. One economist featured was Iryna Topolyan, PhD, professor of economics at the Carl H. Lindner College of Business.

3

App turns smartwatch into detector of structural heart disease

November 10, 2025

An app that uses an AI model to read a single-lead ECG from a smartwatch can detect structural heart disease, researchers reported at the 2025 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association. Although the technology requires further validation, researchers said it could help improve the identification of patients with heart failure, valvular conditions and left ventricular hypertrophy before they become symptomatic, which could improve the prognosis for people with these conditions.