jed barahal
Cello
American cellist Jed Barahal has pursued his musical career abroad for the last 40 years. At the Juilliard School, he studied with Harvey Shapiro and Lorne Munroe and participated in master classes with Pierre Fournier, Paul Tortelier and Janos Starker. After receiving his Master’s degree from Yale in 1979, where he studied with Aldo Parisot, he was invited to Brazil, where he held the post of first cellist of several orchestras (most notably the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra), and was recognized as one of the most outstanding instrumentalists in the country, having performed widely as a soloist (with virtually every important orchestra), as a recitalist, and in chamber music. He also spent two years in France, where he was first cellist of the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse.
Since taking up residence in Portugal in 1989, when he was invited as first cellist to the newly formed Oporto Orchestra (Régie Sinfonia), he has performed widely as a soloist in Portugal as well as in Spain, Germany, Italy, Rumania, Turkey as well as the US.
Among his recordings are a CD with works for cello and piano by the Portuguese composers Freitas Branco and Lopes Graça, the the Brazilian pianist Christina Margotto, with whom he has maintained a duo for 25 years. Has also recorded the Boccherini concertos in D and G with the Raizes Ibéricas orchestra.
In addition, he teaches aspiring young cellists at the Oporto College of Music and the Performing Arts (ESMAE – Escola Superior de Música e Artes do Espectáculo do Instituto Politécnico do Porto), where he also has served as head of the music department.