Sarah Hansen

Biography

Sarah Hansen is the Instructor of Cello at Bradley University. She began her musical education in her hometown of Cincinnati and has since studied, performed, and collaborated with leading musicians across the country.

A versatile player, Sarah regularly plays with several regional ensembles; including the Illinois Symphony, the Quad City Symphony, the Chicago Composers’ Orchestra, and Orchestra Iowa. She has been a featured soloist with the Salt Creek Chamber Orchestra and the Bradley University Symphony Orchestra, and given solo recitals in cities throughout the midwest and east coast. Having cultivated a love for chamber music, Sarah is a founding member of the SomArté Piano Trio, the Silverwood Ensemble, and the Douglas Cello Quartet.

Though she prefers to let her cello do most of the talking, Sarah has been a featured guest speaker with the Montgomery Arts Council, Illinois Symphony Guild, The Rtisan Podcast, and the Peoria Music Teachers Association.

Sarah joined the music faculty at Bradley University in 2015, where she teaches cello and performs with Peoria Lunaire. Sarah also maintains a private cello studio; her students range in level from beginner to pre-professional and in age from elementary school to retirement. She has previously served on faculty at the Chicago School of Music and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.

A champion for musician health, Sarah has led a seminar on injury prevention at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago for doctors and medical students looking to better understand the physical demands and challenges facing modern performing artists. Her writing on mindful practice habits has been published in various music education forums, magazines, and blogs.

Sarah is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Iowa, where she is a Research Assistant in the Center for New Music. She received her Master of Music degree from the DePaul University School of Music and her Bachelor of Music degree from The Hartt School of Music. Her primary teachers include Anthony Arnone, Stephen Balderston, Mihai Tetel, and Tom Guth.

When not performing or teaching, you might find Sarah training for her next marathon or triathlon, investigating local coffee shops, or making the most stunningly mediocre pottery.