Jean Hatmaker, Cello

 

Cellist Jean Hatmaker is a founding member of the internationally acclaimed Kontras Quartet, and performs with them all across the US. Admired for their virtuosity across many genres, Kontras has appeared in celebrated venues across the east coast and midwest, live performances on WFMT, CBS, PBS, NBC, and are frequent collaborators with bluegrass trio The Kruger Brothers. Kontras garnered high praise and recognition from the Grammy committee for their two commercially-released albums from 2015, Origins, and Lucid Dreamer; upcoming appearances include a recital at Elmhurst College April 28, and Telluride Bluegrass Festival in CO in June.

A passionate teacher and lecturer, Hatmaker is on faculty at both Lake Forest and Elmhurst College, where she started the Elmhurst College Cello Choir. She has been a board member of the Chicago Cello Society since 2014, and currently serves as President. Hatmaker is also a passionate arranger and composer, having written and performed works for solo cello, string quartet, and cello ensemble. Hatmaker got her Bachelors and Masters degrees in cello performance from Indiana University under the tutelage of Helga Winold and Janos Starker, where she also studied string instrument making and classical ballet. She performs on a French cello made by Marc Laberte in 1922, and uses Grünke and Hill bows.