Biography
Jeffrey Noel Lastrapes is an active soloist, chamber musician, and teacher having performed and taught in Europe, Asia, South America, and in every region of the US. As a soloist, he has appeared with the Monroe Symphony Orchestra, the Baton Rouge Symphony, the Midland-Odessa Symphony, the Ibex Chamber Orchestra of New York, the Lower Marion Symphony of Philadelphia, the Festival Orchestra in Vina del Mar, Chile, the National Philharmonic of Honduras, and numerous others. He has also participated in major summer festivals around the world including the Evian Festival in France, Hot Springs Music Festival, Peninsula Music Festival, Bay View, the Bellingham Festival, and the Gregor Piatigorsky Seminar at the University of Southern California.
Recently, Mr. Lastrapes recorded a video production of the Complete Bach Suites for Solo Cello in Los Angeles, California. The video will be released in Fall of 2019 on free streaming video services. He frequently performs complete versions of the Bach Suites in recitals in the US, Asia, South America, and Europe. His print edition of the Complete Bach Suites is available worldwide through BCMP Ltd and is the culmination of three decades of research, practice and performing. Mr. Lastrapes holds degrees from The Curtis Institute of Music and the Juilliard School where he studied with Orlando Cole and Harvey Shapiro respectively. He has recorded for New World Records and Centaur Records. |
In 2009, Mr. Lastrapes gave his New York Debut at Merkin Hall to critical acclaim.
"An excellent cellist with consummate technical mastery, Lastrapes is a seasoned performer whose strong, outgoing personality lets him shape the music on a big canvas with bold colors and contours."
"An excellent cellist with consummate technical mastery, Lastrapes is a seasoned performer whose strong, outgoing personality lets him shape the music on a big canvas with bold colors and contours."
~ Edith Eisler New York Concert Review.
He is currently Professor of Cello at Texas Tech University, is the cofounder of Caerus Ensemble and has been on the faculty of the Interlochen Arts Camp since 1996. He is also Co-founder and Co-artistic Director of the Montenegro Cello Festival and Course in Podgorica, Montenegro.
Mr. Lastrapes performs on a Francesco Ruggieri cello dated 1684 and a Paul Schuback cello dated 1987.
Mr. Lastrapes performs on a Francesco Ruggieri cello dated 1684 and a Paul Schuback cello dated 1987.