Basel Sarweh, Cello Lesson Studio

Basel Sarweh began playing the cello at the age of 7. He comes from a long line of musicians tracing its roots to ancient Armenia. His father, John, is a world-renowned zither player in the Middle-Eastern tradition.

As a youth, he often performed both classical and middle-eastern music in the Windsor/Detroit area. At 13,

Basel also received the highest honors in the Ontario Regional Music Competition. He was honored to perform with legendary violinist Gordon Staples in Detroit, MI, in a string quartet accompanied by his wife, Beatriz and son, Gregory.

At 18, Basel won a full scholarship in Cello Performance at Wayne State University in Detroit. His teacher was Richard Piippo, a student of Pierre Fournier. Other teachers included Mario DiFiore, John Thurman, Italo Babini, and Hans-Jorgen Jensen.

Following this, he studied with the late Eleanor Schoenfeld at USC in Los Angeles and benefited from the wealth of knowledge of many of its professors, including Master Classes with world famous cellist, Lynn Harrell.

Mr. Sarweh has since performed chamber music concerts nationally with friend and noted pianist, Thomas Hrynkiw and appeared as soloist with numerous orchestras.

In 2007, he relocated to San Antonio, Texas. He has been principal cellist with the Dearborn Symphony and Symphony of the Hills, associate principal of Mid-Texas Symphony and Laredo Philharmonic, as well as appearances with the Corpus Christi Symphony and other regional orchestras in South Central Texas.

As a teacher, Basel has had experience in a wide variety of educational settings including guest lectures and classes at the Ithaca Cello Institute, Congress of Strings, YOSA, and was a faculty member of Hill country Youth Orchestras, Schreiner University, and the University of the incarnate Word.