Hi, I’m Cortney! I’m a cellist based in Louisville, Kentucky. Classically trained with a heart for improvisation, I love jumping into creative, collaborative projects. Whether I’m leading worship, laying down tracks, or performing onstage, I’m happiest discovering new spaces where the cello can belong.
My Story
I’ve loved music for as long as I can remember. From a very young age, I studied piano and violin before finding my true passion — cello. Its warm, mellow sound completely captivated me and I begged my parents for lessons.
In school I was a proud orch dork. I dreamed about becoming an orchestral musician and playing in venues like Symphony Center and Severance Hall. My favorite “band” was Ludwig van Beethoven, and my first CD was a bargain-bin special featuring the Bach Cello Suites.
Classical music was my whole world, but it ultimately expanded it. With the Blue Lake International Youth Orchestra I traveled to the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Belgium, and with the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra I toured Scotland. I later performed in Austria, Hungary, and the Czech Republic with the Valparaiso University Symphony Orchestra, and across the United States as part of a university string quartet. These trips shaped how I see music, community, and connection.
In 2010, I graduated from Valparaiso University with a degree in music performance. As a student, I served as the principal cellist of the Valparaiso University Symphony Orchestra and interned with the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra. I was honored to receive the Betty Gehring String Award for leadership and to perform as a soloist with the Valparaiso University Symphony Orchestra as a concerto competition winner.
My path has been guided by remarkable teachers. I studied primarily with Nazar Dzhuryn, assistant principal cellist of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, and Daniel Morganstern, longtime principal cellist of the Chicago Lyric Opera. Their musicianship and generosity shaped not only how I play, but who I am.
I perform regularly with the Louisville Philharmonia and have played on several recordings with local artists. I enjoy discovering new ways for the cello to serve stories and communities and believe in the power of the arts. While I aspire to be a lifelong creative, I really love being a part of original projects that connect my classical training with new sounds, people, and possibilities.
In 2010, I graduated from Valparaiso University with a degree in music performance. As a student, I served as the principal cellist of the Valparaiso University Symphony Orchestra and interned with the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra. I was honored to receive the Betty Gehring String Award for leadership and to perform as a soloist with the Valparaiso University Symphony Orchestra as a concerto competition winner.
My path has been guided by remarkable teachers. I studied primarily with Nazar Dzhuryn, assistant principal cellist of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, and Daniel Morganstern, longtime principal cellist of the Chicago Lyric Opera. Their musicianship and generosity shaped not only how I play, but who I am.
I perform regularly with the Louisville Philharmonia and have played on several recordings with local artists. I enjoy discovering new ways for the cello to serve stories and communities and believe in the power of the arts. While I aspire to be a lifelong creative, I really love being a part of original projects that connect my classical training with new sounds, people, and possibilities.
I’ve loved music for as long as I can remember. From a very young age, I studied piano and violin before finding my true passion — cello. Its warm, mellow sound completely captivated me and I begged my parents for lessons.
In school I was a proud orch dork. I dreamed about becoming an orchestral musician and playing in venues like Symphony Center and Severance Hall. My favorite “band” was Ludwig van Beethoven, and my first CD was a bargain-bin special featuring the Bach Cello Suites.
Classical music was my whole world, but it ultimately expanded it. With the Blue Lake International Youth Orchestra I traveled to the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Belgium, and with the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra I toured Scotland. I later performed in Austria, Hungary, and the Czech Republic with the Valparaiso University Symphony Orchestra, and across the United States as part of a university string quartet. These trips shaped how I see music, community, and connection.
