Tahirah Whittington, cello

Tahirah Whittington, originally from Houston, TX, has performed for audiences in the United States, Chile, France, Italy, Spain, Canada, Bermuda, St. Kitts, Jamaica and Japan. Solo engagements include a performance with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC, as a result of winning 1st prize at the 1999 Sphinx Competition. Most recently she was a featured soloist at Carnegie Hall for the 2007 Sphinx Gala. She is featured on Cedille Records’ recording of Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson’s unaccompanied cello work, “Lamentations: Black/Folk Song Suite.” An avid chamber musician, Ms. Whittington is a member of the acclaimed Core Ensemble, which produces chamber music theater. She is a founding member of The Young Eight and a resident member of the Ritz Chamber Players. Ms. Whittington has been fortunate to also collaborate with jazz saxophonist Ornette Coleman and reggae artist Beres Hammond. She has played on the recordings of R&B artists, Alicia Keys, Angie Stone, and Joe, as well as gospel singer, Donnie McClurkin. Ms. Whittington received her Master's Degree in Cello Performance from The Juilliard School under the tutelage of Joel Krosnick, and received her Bachelor's Degree at the New England Conservatory as a student of Laurence Lesser. Ms. Whittington serves as the artistic advisor for The Young Eight.

Getting to know Tahirah Whittington

Hobbies: I've always loved to read. I believe I get that from my mother. She always had a book on-hand whenever she left the house for any period of time; never knew when she would have to wait in a long line at the store or the bank or if she would hit traffic on the highway. In any case, she always had a book handy. I read a lot of fictional novels and books about spirituality, self-development, and nutrition. Whenever I've had the focus to do so, I've turned my attention to learning a new language. So far, I've ventured into the worlds of Spanish, Japanese, French, and Arabic. Maybe one of these days, I'll actually have one of them under my belt.

Favorite food: The other members of The Young Eight often ridicule me about my eating lifestyle since I'm a raw foodist (I only eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, in the raw - not cooked whatsoever). But their jibes neever deter me. Now that I have a different relationship to food than I had while growing up, my favorite foods tend to change depending on my daily tastes and usually what's in season and what's ripe. I think that right now (Nov. 2004), I would say that one of my favorite foods is pineapple, especially if it's freshly cut.

My most memorable/scariest musical performance experience: My most memorable musical experience was my first performance on the main stage at Carnegie Hall with my quartet at the time. We had just completed a vigorous week of the Isaac Stern Chamber Music Workshop. From the stage, the top tiers of the audience stretched so far up towards the ceiling. It was amazing. The seats were filled for the afternoon concert. I remember Mr. Stern taking his time to spend a private moment with me backstage, giving me last-minute tips on how the opening of Beethoven's Op. 59, No. 1 quartet should flow. So once I arrived on stage, my vision of how I would play the theme was solid and that sense of security and belief in what I was creating remained with me throughout the performance. Truly, a memory that will stick with me forever.

What do I enjoy most about being a young artist? I would like to take the word "young" and the word "artist" and comment on them separately before piecing them together. For me, youth is our birthright. I intend to remain young and youthful throughout my years on earth. To me, being young means being open to the newness of all aspects of life; continuously reconnecting to those feelings that I enjoy when I'm faced with discovery, with realization, with awe; and treating my body, mind, and spirit in a way that promotes an innocence (not to be confused with naivete), as if each new stage of life is a new birth.

When I think of myself as an artist, I imagine.....
I create..... 
I experience..... 
I grow..... 
I communicate..... 
I share..... 
I teach..... 
I learn..... 
Then I repeat the process in all its many guises. 
As a young artist, I reap the benefits of all the above. 

Personal quote or motto I live by:

This one is from my mother: "Go ahead and ask. All they will say is 'yes' or 'no'."

This one is from my stepfather - his last words as a physical being on this earth: "Keep the faith."

Here's a lovely quote I read a while ago that I felt compelled to write in my datebook: "We must give our services and our time to the deserving and undeserving alike, and we must be thankful to God that He has enabled us to give. For this is the only opportunity we have of giving. This Life is short, and we shall never have the same opportunity to give, to serve, to do something for others." ~Hazrat Inayat Khan