Celebrated Cuban-American cellist Tommy Mesa will join the Manhattan School of Music (MSM) strings faculty where he was a student less than two years ago and is inspired to work alongside his former instructors at the prominent music school.

Mesa looks forward to working with his new colleagues as a member of the faculty at MSM where he graduated with a doctorate degree in music in 2023.

“I’m honoured to join the MSM cello faculty and energized by the opportunity to build a studio among colleagues who I’ve admired for decades,” says Mesa, the recipient of the 2023 Sphinx Medal of Excellence. The award is given to extraordinary leaders in the classical music field who are transforming lives while addressing the systemic obstacles within Black and Latino communities.

“There is nothing more gratifying than mentoring the next generation of young artists and giving them the tools they need to succeed as professionals,” says Mesa.

Mesa has toured with renowned musician Itzhak Perlman, and performed with The Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic (at the Hollywood Bowl) and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. 

As an educator, he has been on faculty at the Sphinx Performance Academy, Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, and St. Petersburg International Music Academy. Mesa has also taught master classes at leading music institutions such as U.C. Berkeley, Boston Conservatory, Northwestern University, where he earned a master’s degree in music, as well as MSM. 

JT Kane, Dean of Instrumental Studies and Orchestral Performance says that Mesa’s presence will definitely enrich students, pointing out his dedication to nurturing the next generation of musicians, which makes him a perfect fit for the music school. He says Mesa’s “artistry and versatility as a cellist, combined with his innovative spirit and dedication to teaching, will bring tremendous energy and inspiration to MSM.” 

Mesa, an acclaimed performer, recording artist and educator premiered and toured concertos by celebrated composers including a well-known MSM grad, sought-after music producer and composer Terence Blanchard (Hon. Doctor of Musical Arts, ’17), Michael Abels, and Jessie Montgomery’s cello concerto.

His solo album, Division of Memory, received widespread acclaim for its depth and creativity. His body of work also includes a duo album with fellow MSM piano faculty member Michelle Cann featuring composers who are Black and Latinx, a duo album with bandoneonist JP Jofre, a duo album with Olga Kern, and Montgomery’s cello concerto recording on the Deutsche Grammophon in 2023. 

Mesa was featured on the GRAMMY-nominated album Bonhoeffer with multiple GRAMMY-winning group The Crossing Choir and appeared with them as soloist at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City (NYC), Longwood Gardens, The Winter Garden, and the Theological Seminary in NYC. He collaborated with the group on the U.S. premiere of Astralis for choir and solo cello by composer Wolfgang Rihm and a 2025 album with The Crossing Choir is also in the works.

The musician toured extensively with Montgomery’s cello concerto in the 2022-23 season, performing in major halls across the United States and Brazil, including Miami’s New World Center and Carnegie Hall. The following season Mesa toured Cuba and performed with the Calgary and Fort Wayne philharmonic orchestras; stopped in Ann Arbor, Bay Atlantic, Columbus and a long list of other locations.

As an ensemble musician, Mesa has tours with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, is a frequent collaborator with the Jupiter Chamber Players series, and is the principal cellist of Sphinx Virtuosi, who play every year at almost every major venue in the United States. 

“Tommy’s career is emblematic of MSM’s values and dedication to developing students who crave creating a career that has relevancy and purpose, amplifying underrecognized voices and voices of tradition alike,” says MSM Executive Vice President and Provost Joyce Griggs. “We are excited for Tommy to join the MSM College faculty in fall 2025.”

by Cherryl Bird – Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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