Heather Moncrief Rivera-Torres

Heather Moncrief Rivera-Torres, cellist, began her musical studies at the age of five in her hometown of Augusta, Georgia. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in cello performance from The Eastman School of Music and a Master’s degree in cello performance from Georgia State University, with additional graduate study at Emory University and the Chicago Symphony Orchestral Studies Program of Roosevelt University. Her principal teachers include Martha Gerschefski, Pamela Frame, Steven Balderston, Natalia Khoma and Anthony Elliot. She has performed in the US and abroad, including two international tours with the American Russian Young Artist’s Orchestra and is a former member of the South Carolina Philharmonic, Augusta Symphony, Illinois Symphony, Elgin Symphony, Chicago Chamber Orchestra and the New Millennium Orchestra. She is the winner of the Thomas Brumby Concerto Competition, the Atlanta Young Artists Concerto Competition, has appeared as soloist with the St. Vincent Chamber Orchestra, and has recorded an album of Argentine tangos as a member of the Dallas Chamber Players. She has an avid interest in Baroque and Early music and has studied Baroque chamber music at the Eastman School of Music.

Heather has maintained large private teaching studios both in Chicago and Dallas, and has taught and coached for the Institute for Strings, Chicago Youth Symphony Programs, Dallas Symphony Orchestra Young Strings Program, as well as serving as a guest clinician at Suzuki workshops and festivals. She is the former co-director and founder of the Bella Musica Festival in Chicago, and has performed as a chamber and orchestral musician for many years in Chicago and Dallas. She has recently relocated to Santa Fe, where she lives along with her husband and three children, and is enjoying life in New Mexico.