Leo Grinhauz

Cellist Leo Grinhauz was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1965 to young musician parents. After Leo's father Luis attained a chair in The Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the family settled in Canada in 1970. Leo began playing the cello under the tutelage of the legendary Walter Joachim, then the principal cellist of the M.S.O. Leo would later go on to work in the cello section and perform several times as guest soloist with The Montreal Symphony Orchestra. His last solo engagement included Arthur Honnegger's Cello Concerto with Charles Dutoit conducting.

Grinhauz's principal teachers have included Gary Hoffman, Janos Starker, and Bernard Greenhouse. Leo earned his Bachelor's degree and the prestigious Performer's Certificate from Indiana University, and received his Master's from Rutgers.

Over the past thirty years, Leo Grinhauz has performed throughout the Americas as a soloist, recitalist and ensemblist including the International Festivals at Marlboro, Ottawa, and Lanaudiere. Heard frequently over the airwaves of the CBC, Leo Grinhauz's discography includes several recorded for that company. One of them is 1999's Musique Des Ameriques, a disc of music for cello and piano, and includes Leo's mother Berta Rosenohl. Occasionally, the family still performs together as members of Musica Camerata Montreal.

After a brief stint in the New York Amati Trio, Leo has been cultivating a diverse career in the New York metropolitan area. Highlights include his solo debut at Town Hall, concerts with the late Ruth Laredo, and membership in the Bronx Arts Ensemble, with whom Leo is featured on numerous recordings including Roberto Sierra's chamber opera El Mensajero de Plata. Other ensemble membership has included Music Amici with whom Leo recorded the critically acclaimed disc Reel Life, The Private Music of Film Composers.

As a cellist on Broadway, Leo has enjoyed working for legendary contractors Mel Rodnon, John Monaco, and Eugene Bianco. Past shows have included : Jane Eyre, The Producers, Legally Blonde, The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera, and Showboat, to name a few. Other important projects have included collaborations with Broadway stars Mary Stout, Jill O'Hara, and Neil Berg.

Membership in Tania Leon's Son Sonora Ensemble led to the recording of Pulitzer Prize winning composer George Walker's first string quartet, which has been included in a recently released retrospective of Mr. Walker's music. Leo has also performed and recorded with Paquito D'Rivera. Of note is a recording for Sony with Diva Denyce Graves entitled The Lost Days.

Since 2010, Leo Grinhauz has been principal cellist with The Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra. With them, Leo enjoys touring the world and performing with renowned resident soloist Gabriela Imreh. Recent projects include recordings of piano concerti of Liszt and Bach.

As a Musical Coordinator, Leo Grinhauz's most notable achievement has been contracting the musicians on Nickelodeon's The Wonder Pets. After garnering numerous Emmy Awards, the show continues it's success in syndication.

Leo's commitment to education is met through his private teaching studio, where he teaches cello and coaches chamber music. His teaching skills also shine in the classroom as a frequent educator in private and public schools.