Brittany Platt Gardner began her cello studies at the age of eight after receiving a cello as a birthday present. A Suzuki student from the beginning, she has had the opportunity to study with some of the Suzuki Program’s most prominent teachers, including Mr. Nakagima, Tanya Carey, Carol Tarr, Rodney Farrar, and Richard Aaron.
Ms Gardner has held the position of principal cellist with many orchestras, including the Orchestra at Temple Square, Young Artist Chamber Players, the University Circle Orchestra at Case Western Reserve University and the University Philharmonia Orchestra at the University of Michigan. Ms Gardner also participated with the Rocky Mountain Youth Camerata as Assistant Principal on their European Tour in 1998. She continues to perform in the community both as soloist and collaborative artist, appearing with such groups as the Orchestra at Temple Square, and the Sylvan, Silver Strings and Fortissimo string quartets.
Ms Gardner has been the winner of various competitions held by the Utah Symphony Youth Guild, the Utah State Fair Music Competition, the Joan Terr Ronis Music Competition, the Marrowstone Music Festival, the University of Utah, and the Michigan Music Teachers’ Association. As a result, she has appeared as soloist with the Marrowstone Festival Orchestra, the University of Utah Philharmonia, the Young Artist Chamber Players, and the University Circle Orchestra.
An avid teacher, Ms Gardner has maintained a private cello studio for nine years, as well as teaching with the Salt Lake Youth Chamber Society (Salt Lake City, UT), the Gifted Music School (Salt Lake City, UT), the Barbara Kehoe Music School (Mayfield Hts, OH), the Carey and Elliott Cheney Cello Studio (Salt Lake City, UT), Peaks to Plains Suzuki Institute (Broomfield, CO) and as a guest teacher with the Preparatory Department at the Cleveland Institute of Music (Cleveland, OH). Ms. Gardner has also used her teaching skills in assisting with the Young Artists Symphony Orchestra (Salt Lake City, UT), the Cleveland Music School Settlement (Cleveland, OH) and the Huron High School Orchestra (Ann Arbor, MI). She currently serves on the board of the Intermountain Suzuki String Institute.
Ms Gardner holds a Master of Music degree in Cello Performance from the University of Michigan, where she studied with Anthony Elliott. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Performance, graduating summa cum laude from the joint degree program between Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she studied with Richard Aaron.
Ms. Gardner plays on a 2001 cello, affectionately known as "Henry", made by contemporary luthier Lawrence Wilke.
Click here to hear the first movement of the Grieg Cello Sonata!
Ra Jung Yang, Piano Brittany Gardner, Cello November 16, 2004
Click here to hear the Courante from the Sixth Bach Cello Suite!
Brittany Gardner, Cello November 16, 2004
Click here to hear Langsam (1899) by Webern!
Ra Jung Yang, Piano Brittany Gardner, Cello November 16, 2004
Click here to hear the Third Movement of the Debussy String Quartet!
Martha Walvoord, Violin I Jennifer Walvoord, Violin II
Elizabeth Lamb, Viola Brittany Gardner, Cello December 10, 2004