Tahirah Whittington

Tahirah Whittington, originally from Houston, TX, has performed for audiences in the United States, Chile, France, Italy, Spain, Canada, Bermuda, St. Kitts, and Japan. Solo engagements include a performance with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC, as a result of winning 1st prize at the 1999 Sphinx Competition.

She was a featured soloist at Carnegie Hall for the 2007 Sphinx Gala. An avid chamber musician, Ms. Whittington has toured as a member of Core
Ensemble since 2001. Core Ensemble is a trio of cello, piano, and percussion, which collaborates with actors to produce chamber music theater. Ms. Whittington is a founding member of The Young Eight, a touring string octet based in Seattle, WA, and a resident member of the Ritz Chamber Players based in Jacksonville, FL.

She is featured on Cedille Records’ recording of Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson’s unaccompanied cello work, “Lamentations: a Black Folk Song Suite.” Ms. Whittington has been fortunate to also collaborate with jazz saxophonist Ornette Coleman and reggae artist Beres Hammond. She has played on the recordings of R&B artists Alicia Keys, Angie Stone, and Joe, as well as gospel singer, Donnie McClurkin.

Ms. Whittington received her Master’s Degree in Cello Performance from The Juilliard School under the tutelage of Joel Krosnick, and received her Bachelor’s Degree at the New England Conservatory as a student of Laurence
Lesser. She is currently pursuing her Doctoral Degree at the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, with Hans Jensen.