Alexei Romanenko
Principal CelloIn honor of Burton C. Bryan, sponsored by the Henry and Lucy Gooding Endowment as Advised by the Bryan Family
Celebrated for his classical sophistication, extraordinary musicianship, and exceptional virtuosity, cellist Alexei Romanenko is recognized as one of the most engaging and dynamic performers today. Born in Vladivostok, Russia, Romanenko began his cello training at just six years old and, by the age of twelve, had already earned First Prize at the Far-Eastern Competition. He furthered his studies at the renowned Moscow Conservatory, and after receiving numerous prestigious awards, he made the move to the United States to pursue an Artist Diploma at the New England Conservatory of Music.
Currently, he holds the position of principal cellist with the Jacksonville Symphony in Jacksonville, where he has established a multifaceted career as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician as well as a church organist. His cello performances have garnered enthusiastic reviews from prominent publications such as the Boston Globe and San Francisco Classical Voice. In addition to his performing career, Romanenko has taught at the San Francisco Institute of Music, University of Florida and Huntington College, and is currently teaching at the University of North Florida. He has also performed as guest principal cellist with the Auckland Philharmonia in New Zealand and the Des Moines Metro Opera in Iowa.
In recent years, his performances included Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., Chicago’s Preston Bradley Hall among many others. He has been heard on the international broadcast of “Voice of America” in Russia, broadcast live on Chicago’s WFMT Fine Arts Radio, Atlanta’s WABE, Boston’s WGBH Radio “Classical Performances.” His performances were also broadcast on Chicago’s TV Channel 25 as well as radio stations in San Francisco, Atlanta, Florida, Maine and Alabama.
T.J. Medrek of the Boston Herald hailed his performance stating, “The times when music and musician and musical instrument combine to form an almost mystical union are rare. One such occasion came when Alexei Romanenko dazzled with his playing of Zoltan Kodaly’s Sonata for solo cello.
