Having made his Carnegie Hall recital debut in 2022, cellist Alexander Hersh has quickly established himself as one of the most exciting and creative talents of his generation. A top laureate of the 2024 Walter W. Naumburg International Cello Competition, Hersh appears frequently as a soloist with major orchestras including the Houston Symphony, Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, Dallas Chamber Symphony, and Boston POPS. He has earned top prizes at competitions worldwide, including the Pro Musicis International Award, Astral Artists National Auditions, and the Schadt String Competition, among others.

At the inaugural Queen Elisabeth Cello Competition in Belgium, critics from RTBF Belgian Radio praised his performance, writing that “with his scenic presence and charm, Hersh has everything to become the darling of the public.”
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An active and recording artist, Hersh released his debut album ABSINTHE in 2023, a multimedia project blending classical performance with short films, comedy, and creative visual storytelling. Narrative films connected to the project can be viewed on his YouTube channel, with the album streaming worldwide. In addition to performing, Hersh composes original music, performs stand-up comedy, and creates short films that seek to expand classical music’s reach through humor and storytelling.
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A devoted chamber musician, Hersh has performed extensively at festivals worldwide including Marlboro, Ravinia, Caramoor, Chamber Music Northwest, Music@Menlo, Festival Mozaic, IMS Prussia Cove, Kneisel Hall, Lucerne Festival, Manchester Music Festival, and the Amsterdam Cello Biennale. He serves as Co-Artistic Director of NEXUS Chamber Music, a Chicago-based collective that presents an annual summer festival and serves as ensemble in residence at Guarneri Hall.
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Raised in Chicago, Hersh began cello at age five and is a fourth-generation string player. He received his B.M. and M.M. from the New England Conservatory, graduating with academic honors, before continuing studies in Berlin as a recipient of the Frank Huntington Beebe Fund at the Hanns Eisler Hochschule für Musik Berlin. His principal teachers have included Laurence Lesser, Hans Jørgen Jensen, Kim Kashkashian, Nicolas Altstaedt, and Paul Katz. He performs on a G.B. Rogeri cello, courtesy of Guarneri Hall NFP and Darnton & Hersh Fine Violins.