Praised for his ridiculous virtuosity and innate musical sensibility, Jakob Taylor is a recipient of Yale’s Aldo Parisot Prize for gifted cellists who show promise for a concert career. A graduate of the Yale School of Music, he has recently completed his Masters of Musical Arts under the esteemed cellist of the Emerson Quartet, Paul Watkins.

Born in New York City, Jakob began playing the cello at the age of three. His passion for sharing music has led him around the globe with engagements in the United States, Germany, Cuba and the United Kingdom. As a soloist, Jakob has performed at such venues as Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Bargemusic, Jordan Hall, Woolsey Hall, and Stude Hall at Rice University.

Jakob’s passion for chamber music has allowed him to collaborate with artists such as Ani Kavafian, Ettore Causa, Marcy Rosen, Steven Tenenbom, Hye-Jin Kim, Wu Han and Matthew Lipman. He has spent his summers working and performing at programs such as Music@Menlo’s International Program, Ravinia Steans Institute, Four Seasons Spring Workshop, the Taos School of Music, Music Academy of the West, among others.

Recognizing the importance of new music, he has premiered new works by composers such as Paul Cantelon and Paul Miller and has worked closely with rising composers such as Caroline Shaw and Timo Andres.

An avid proponent of music education, Jakob has worked as an educator alongside prominent institutions such as Yale University, the Boston Philharmonic, the New York Youth Symphony, and the Lighthouse School for the Blind.

Jakob received his Masters of Music at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music studying with Desmond Hoebig. He has also studied at the New England Conservatory, and at The Juilliard School. He was the recipient of the Harvey R. Russel Scholarship and Irving. Gilmore Fellowship at Yale University. There, he recently performed Prokofiev’s Sinfonia Concertante with the Yale Philharmonia under the baton of Leonard Slatkin as the winner of the 2022 Yale School of Music, Woolsey Hall Concerto Competition. He is also the winner of the 2020 Shepherd School of Music concerto competition.