Listen to a performance of my orchestration of Pilgrim Overture (1867) by John Thomas Douglass, Mannes Symphony Orchestra, Alice Tully Hall, March 8, 2023, conducted by David Hayes. Program Notes. Partial PDF of the score. Contact me if you’d like to program with your orchestra.
Check out my video, “In Memoriam,” commemorating Juneteenth 2020
Chopin Cello Sonata from Philip Ewell on Vimeo.
Fédéric Chopin, Sonata for Cello and Piano: Philip Ewell, cello; Quynh Nguyen, piano; Hunter College, Lang Hall; March 9, 2017.
François Couperin, Pièces en Concert from Philip Ewell on Vimeo.
François Couperin, Pièces en Concert, for Cello and Piano: Philip Ewell, cello; Christy Lee, piano. University of Tennessee School of Music; February 2004.
Prokofiev Cello Sonata from Philip Ewell on Vimeo.
Sergei Prokofiev, Sonata for Cello and Piano: Philip Ewell, cello; Andrew Pau, piano. Lang Hall, Hunter College, New York, NY; February 28, 2011.
Shostakovich Cello Concerto from Philip Ewell on Vimeo.
Dmitri Shostakovich, Cello Concerto No. 1: Philip Ewell, cello; Alexander Polishchuk, conductor. Municipal Orchestra of the Petrograd Region, St. Petersburg, Russia; April 17, 1993.
The Open Sea from Philip Ewell on Vimeo.
Open Sea: When teaching cello, it’s important that students can bow a warm clean sound on each open string. After telling my students to “Play your open strings to warm-up” for some years, it dawned on me how boring that must be for them. I made it my task, in “Open Sea,” to make an entire piece out of playing only the open “C” string.
Harmony from Philip Ewell on Vimeo.
Harmony: The discord and concord of musician and dancer feature prominently in this experimental push-and-pull piece. With thanks to my multitalented friends Sarah Franklin and Victor See-Yuen, who made Harmony possible.
Debussy Cello Sonata from Philip Ewell on Vimeo.
Claude Debussy, Sonata for Cello and Piano: Philip Ewell, cello; Christy Lee, piano. University of Tennessee School of Music; February 2004.
Bach, Fifth Cello Suite from Philip Ewell on Vimeo.
J. S. Bach, Suite for Unaccompanied Cello, No. 5: Philip Ewell, cello. House of Composers, St. Petersburg, Russia; April 23, 1993.
Cumbala Hill from Philip Ewell on Vimeo.
Cumbala Hill: Written by my gifted friend David Mills while he was studying in India, Cumbala Hill explores that place in India and some interesting Eastern sounds as well. On this clip David plays Fender guitar and I, five-string electric cello.
Velocello from Philip Ewell on Vimeo.
Velocello: When I lived in New Haven I was often known as the biking cellist, since I often had my cello on my back while biking. In this experimental piece, the cello and bicyclist become one.
Erkki Salmenhaara, Cello Sonata from Philip Ewell on Vimeo.
Erkki Salmenhaara, Sonata for Cello and Piano: Philip Ewell, cello; Regina Barbanel, piano. House of Composers, St. Petersburg, Russia; April 23, 1993.
Brahms, Cello Sonata in E Minor from Philip Ewell on Vimeo.
Johannes Brahms, Sonata for Cello and Piano in E minor: Philip Ewell, cello; Natalia Frolova, piano. Belyi Zal of the Gorchakov Estate, St. Petersburg, Russia; February 1994.
Rachmaninov Cello Sonata from Philip Ewell on Vimeo.
Sergei Rachmaninov, Sonata for Cello and Piano: Philip Ewell, cello; Andrew Pau, piano. Lang Hall, Hunter College, New York, NY; February 28, 2011. (The recording device stopped with two minutes left in the fourth movement…apologies.)
Bach, Third Cello Suite from Philip Ewell on Vimeo.
Bach, Third Cello Suite: I always liked my Bach a little hot and spicy! Thanks to my friend Sarah Franklin for performing this piece with me.
Narrowcasting, “Star”: Narrowcasting comprised my buddies Charles Maynes and Andrei Konovalov. I joined their studio in Moscow, Russia, for this 2001 recording of “Star.”
Tchaikovsky Piano Trio, First Movement from Philip Ewell on Vimeo.
Peter Tchaikovsky, Trio for Piano, Violin, and Cello: Philip Ewell, cello; Steven Graff, piano; Elena Peres, violin. Lang Hall, Hunter College, New York, NY; November 11, 2015.
Ravel, Chansons madécasses from Philip Ewell on Vimeo.
Maurice Ravel, Chansons madécasses (Madagascar Songs) (1926), for Voice, Cello, Flute, and Piano. Philip Ewell, cello; Danya Katok, voice; Kelli Kathman, Flute; Nana Shi, piano. Lang Hall, Hunter College, New York, NY; March 9, 2017.