Calum Cook, born in Inverness, Scotland, is the Principal Cello with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the cellist of the Rembrandt Chamber Musicians, and is the newest member of the Grant Park Festival Orchestra cello section.
Calum studied in the UK at St. Mary’s Music School in Edinburgh and the prestigious Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey before winning a Scholarship to the Royal College of Music in London.
A multiple prize winner at Royal College of Music, Calum has performed all over Europe, as soloist, chamber musician and orchestral musician. In addition to making his concerto debut at the age of 15, Calum has also given concerto performances throughout the U.K. as well as performing chamber music at the Fairfield Hall and Wigmore Halls in London, and at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland.
Soon after graduating from the Royal College of Music, Calum began focussing on his orchestral career and won the position of Sub-Principal Cello in the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra which he held for 10 years. He also worked as guest Principal Cello with many prominent orchestras in the U.K., including the BBC Scottish Symphony, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Orchestra of Opera North, Welsh National Opera, Scottish Opera, BBC Concert Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and guest assistant Principal with the Philharmonia Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the English Chamber Orchestra. He also appeared regularly as a member of Kokoro, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s contemporary music ensemble.
Since moving to Chicago, Calum has appeared as Principal Cello with the Chicago Philharmonic, and regularly as a substitute with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, as well as during the CSO’s MusicNow contemporary series. He is also in demand as a teacher, and in 2018 joined the facility of Northwestern University.
