Starla Breshears

Starla Breshears began cello lessons at age three and started studying at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Pre-College Division at the age of six. Since then, she has been featured as a soloist with seven different orchestras and has won numerous solo competitions, including the Parnassus-San Francisco Conservatory of Music Concerto Competition, ASTA State Competition finals, United States International Music Competition, United States Open Music Competition, Livermore-Amador Symphony Concerto Competition, CAPMT-Sacramento Competition, and DVS-HNU Strings Competition.

Breshears is principal cellist of the Pre-College Division String Orchestra at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she studies with eminent French cellist Jean-Michel Fonteneau. She is also coached by collaborative pianist Ayke Agus and cellist Christine Walevska, and she previously studied with cellist Yoshie Muratani. She has participated in master classes with Amit Peled, Darrett Adkins, and Bonnie Hampton.

Breshears is a Beare’s International Violin Society artist and a recipient of a half-size 1808 Lorenzo Ventapane cello, generously on loan by J&A Beare Ltd., London.