Dr. Even Rong Ma

Dr. Even Rong Ma is a passionate performer, artist and educator. She has been heard in concert halls around the world including Carnegie Hall, Severance Hall, Mixon Hall, and Kulas Hall in North America, The National Centre for the Performing Arts and Fujian Grand Theatre in China, Castello Brancaleoni and Palazzo Ducale in Italy.

As an avid educator, Dr. Ma is totally committed to teaching. She is a fully trained Suzuki cello teacher and Dalcroze Eurythmics instructor having completed her training at the Cleveland Institute of Music Suzuki Pedagogy Program. She currently holds a teaching position at the Elite Preparatory Academy as the head of the string department and cello faculty at Queens College. She is also a judge for the NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association) Competition. She was the junior division director at Cincinnati Young Artists and has taught at University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music, Cleveland Institute of Music, Cincinnati Young Artists Program, Cincinnati Young Artists Summer Cello Academy, and Indian Springs Academy of Music. Her students are competition winners and are currently members and principals of the Cincinnati Junior Strings and Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra. Dr. Ma enjoys sharing her love of the cello and music in outreach performances in nursing homes, cancer centers, hospitals and special education schools both locally and over the internet. 

As an active performer, she made her solo debut at the age of 14 performing the Haydn C Major Cello Concerto with the Central Conservatory of Music Chamber Orchestra in China and has been a featured soloist on numerous occasions since. In 2017, she performed Schumann Cello concerto as a soloist with Ensemble 207 at Judson Manor, Mixon Hall and Council Gardens in Cleveland. She has been a recipient of fellowships to the Round Top Festival Institute, Chautauqua Music Festival, Brevard Music Festival, and Colorado College Summer Music Festival. Dr. Ma is a top-prize winner of numerous competitions, including first prize winner of the 2018 “Golden Classical Music Awards’ ‘ International Competition and first prize winner of 2021 “ItalkbbTV” instrumental competition with the prize of a Yamaha piano. She is also an award winner of Bonn Grand Prize Virtuoso International Competition, Muse International Competition, and Salzburg Grand Prize Virtuoso International Competition. As an orchestral musician, she was the cello principal for the Cleveland Women Orchestra, Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra and Central Conservatory of Music Chamber Orchestra.

Born in China, Dr. Ma first came to the USA as a scholarship student at the Idyllwild Arts Academy in California before finishing high school at the Interlochen Arts Academy.  She received her bachelor and master’s degrees at the Cleveland Institute of Music as a student of Cleveland Orchestra Principal Cellist, Mark Kosower. She received her Doctor of Musical Arts in cello performance at the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music where she studies with Professor Alan Rafferty. 

In addition to her performances on stage, Dr. Ma has appeared in movies with famous actors such as Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith, Justin Chatwin, Peter Stormare and Elizabeth Anweis.

She is now taking private cello students around New Jersey/New York area, and students around the world online.