Michael Kaufman

“A fine cellist with a well-developed sense of musical characterization, Michael Kaufman plays with intensity, commitment, and deep understanding,” writes Robert Levin, internationally renowned Mozart scholar and pianist.

Dr. Michael Kaufman is an internationally acclaimed cellist whose performances are distinguished by their depth, versatility, and expressive power. Equally at home in solo, chamber, and orchestral settings, he serves as Assistant Professor of Cello and Chamber Music at the University of Utah, where he brings a passionate commitment to mentorship and artistic exploration.

Celebrated for his dynamic artistry, Kaufman has appeared as soloist and chamber musician in the United States, Canada, England, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, and Switzerland, performing at premier venues including Zankel and Weill Halls at Carnegie Hall and as soloist for the opening of the renovated Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. He has performed as principal cellist with La Monnaie Opera in Brussels and is a member of the Los Angeles Opera and the Principal Cellist of the Pasadena Symphony.

Kaufman’s concerto highlights include the world premiere of Sean Friar’s Dynamics for Cello and Chamber Winds with the Eastman Wind Ensemble and the West Coast premiere of the work with Thornton Edge, as well as Yuan-Chen Li’s Wandering Viewpoint with the Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra. His interpretations have drawn critical praise—The Los Angeles Times’s Mark Swed described his performance of Helmut Lachenmann’s Pression as “rapt, percussive, and exploratory—probing the outermost possibilities of the cello.”

A passionate advocate for contemporary music, Kaufman has premiered works written for him by Justin Hoke, Daniel Silliman, Jeffrey Parola, and others, and has collaborated with composers such as Thomas Adès, Jörg Widmann, John Adams, Donald Crockett, and Stephen Hartke. After hearing Kaufman’s performance of Lieux retrouvés, Adès called it “breathtakingly good.” He participated in the Carnegie Hall Professional Training Workshop “American Soundscapes” with Adams and David Robertson and has appeared in contemporary series including Jacaranda, the Hear Now Festival, and RedCat’s Callings Out of Context.

A devoted chamber musician, Kaufman is a founding member of SAKURA, the acclaimed ensemble of five cellists described by the LA Times as “brilliant” and “superb.” The group has performed in Disney Hall as part of the Piatigorsky International Cello Festival, serves as Young Ensemble in Residence at the Da Camera Society, and continues to expand the repertoire for cello ensemble through bold commissions and innovative programming. Their most recent album, Clair de lune, was released by Platoon in 2025.

Kaufman’s discography also includes recordings for ECM Records, notably featuring the music of Tigran Mansurian, reflecting his commitment to deeply expressive, modern repertoire.

He has collaborated in concert with leading artists such as Midori, Kim Kashkashian, Leon Fleisher, Anthony Marwood, Donald Weilerstein, Steven Tenenbom, Roger Tapping, and the Calder Quartet. His festival appearances include Open Chamber Music at Prussia Cove, Yellow Barn, Music@Menlo, Verbier, Kneisel Hall, Norfolk, and Sarasota. He is also the founder and artistic director of Sunset ChamberFest, now entering its sixth season.

A dedicated educator, Kaufman’s teaching reflects both technical rigor and a deep belief in expressive individuality. Before joining the University of Utah, he taught at the Colburn Community School of Performing Arts and served for five years on the faculty of Loyola Marymount University. He has given masterclasses at Bowling Green State University, UC Irvine, Caltech, Texas Christian University, and others.

Also active as a performer on historical instruments, Kaufman studied baroque cello with William Skeen at USC, where he earned a minor in the field, and has appeared as principal cellist with Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra.

Born in New York City and raised in Cleveland, Kaufman began cello studies at age four with Pamela Kelly, later attending the Cleveland Institute of Music’s Young Artist Program under Alison Wells. He earned his Bachelor of Music with Distinction and Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music, studying with Steven Doane and Rosemary Elliott, and completed his Master’s and Doctorate at the University of Southern California, studying with Ralph Kirshbaum.