Francisco Garay

Austrian born Venezuelan-American cellist, Francisco Garay, began his musical studies at the age of eleven in Houston. A recipient of the Hirsch Scholarship Endowment, he received his Bachelor of Music in cello performance from the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music, where he studied with associate principal cellist of the Houston Symphony, Anthony Kitai.

Mr. Garay has established himself as a cello teacher in Greater Houston and has served as a region judge and clinician. He is a co-founder and first director of the Fort Bend Cello Choir, Katy Youth Symphony cello choir, Paetow’s High School’s cello ensemble, and the Latin Cello Choir’s Cello Summer Camp. He teaches group cello lessons for the Houston Youth Symphony’s Coda program and has taught as a chamber music coach for The American Festival of the Arts. His students regularly receive recognition at the UIL state competitions.

Currently, he is under the tutelage of Mercury ensemble and Grammy-nominated cellist, Courtenay Vandiver Pereira. His pre-college education consists of being a part of the Hammond Preparatory Program at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, where he studied with Cornelia Watkins. At the time he was also a member of Virtuosi of Houston and the Houston Youth Symphony orchestras.

In the past he has been under the baton of Grammy-Award winning conductors, including Hans Graf, Christian Mărcelaru, and JoAnn Faletta. He has also performed in the Texas Music Festival, Interlochen Summer Music Festival, ARIA International Summer Music Academy, Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, and Sewanee Summer Music Festival.