SUU Presents Guest Artist Recital with Cellist Daniel Gaisford
Published: September 02, 2025 | Author: Kol Gibson | Read Time: 2 minutes
Southern Utah University’s Department of Music is proud to present a special Guest Artist Recital featuring acclaimed American cellist Daniel Gaisford and SUU’s own Dr. Christian Bohnenstengel on piano. The recital will take place on Monday, September 15, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. in the Thorley Recital Hall. This performance is free and open to the public.
The program will highlight a diverse selection of works by Claude Debussy, Johannes Brahms, Niccolò Paganini, Alberto Ginastera, and Lukas Foss, showcasing both the timeless classics of the repertoire and the expressive possibilities of the cello and piano duo.
Hailed as “transfixing” by the New York Times and “remarkable” by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Daniel Gaisford has enjoyed a distinguished career spanning over 30 years as a soloist, chamber musician, recording artist, and teacher. His performances have stunned critics and audiences alike, with the National Review’s Jay Nordlinger describing him as “America’s greatest unknown cellist” with “a formidable technique and a formidable mind.” Gaisford has appeared with major orchestras across North America, performed at world-renowned festivals, and recorded works ranging from Bach to contemporary composers such as Michael Hersch.
Joining him on stage is pianist Dr. Christian Bohnenstengel, Director of Keyboard Studies at SUU. Praised as “a master of contrasts” (Aelener Nachrichten) with the ability to “put the audience into a state of sheer awe” (Gmünder Tagespost), Dr. Bohnenstengel is an active performer in both classical and jazz genres. His recent performances include appearances with the Orchestra of Southern Utah and the Southern Nevada Symphony Orchestra, as well as recording projects with ensembles such as the Shawn Owens Project Trio ad the Southern Utah Jazz Collective.
This recital offers the Cedar City community a rare opportunity to hear a world-class guest artist collaborate with a distinguished SUU faculty member in an evening of powerful and inspiring music.
For more information about SUU’s Department of Music and upcoming performances, please visit www.suu.edu/pva/music.
About the College of Performing and Visual Arts
The College of Performing and Visual Arts (CPVA) at Southern Utah University comprises 41 academic programs including liberal arts (BA/BS) and professional (BFA, BM, BMEd) degrees in art, design, dance, filmmaking, music, and theatre. It includes graduate programs in the fields of arts administration (MFA, MA), music education (MME), and music technology (MM). More than 60 full-time faculty and staff are engaged in teaching and mentoring over 900 majors in the College. CPVA presents over 100 performances, lectures, presentations, and exhibitions each year which are complemented by the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) and Shakespeare Studies at SUU, and is affiliated with the Tony award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival (USF). Southern Utah University is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD), National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD), National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), and the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) making SUU the first public university in the state of Utah to be accredited by all four associations. For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts, visit www.suu.edu/pva.Tags: Guest Artist Music Faculty Community College of Performing and Visual Arts
Contact Information:
Kol Gibson
435-865-8667
kolgibson@suu.edu