Phoebe Carrai

Phoebe Carrai is a celebrated American cellist and a leading figure in the world of early music. Born in Boston, she studied with Lawrence Lesser at the New England Conservatory of Music, where she earned both her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees before heading to Austria for post-graduate work with Nikolaus Harnoncourt at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. Carrai became a member of the renowned chamber music ensemble Musica Antiqua Köln, recording extensively and touring internationally with the group for a decade. Today, she is known for her vibrant performances as a soloist and chamber musician, working with ensembles like the Arcadian Academy, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Juilliard Baroque, and the Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra. Her recordings span the works of J.S. Bach, Haydn, and Friedrich August Kummer, and she is a dedicated teacher at institutions including the Juilliard School and the Longy School of Music, as well as directing the Harvard Baroque Chamber Orchestra.

Carrai is passionate about historical performance and often teaches specialized workshops, such as the Baroque Cello Bootcamp and the Bach Cello Suites Workshop. She plays on an Italian cello dating from around 1690 and has released albums on major record labels, shaping the next generation of early music performers through both her performances and teaching.

Genres