As a soloist, chamber musician, teacher, and activist, Katie Burns aims to use the cello to engage people in unique and meaningful musical experiences.
Katie enjoys bringing cello music to a wide range of settings and venues, performing at churches, yoga studios, art galleries, Syntax Physic Opera (CO), The Preservery (CO), The Bluebird (CO), and Red Rocks Amphitheatre (CO). Under the direction of William Grubb at Butler University and Matthew Zalkind and the Lamont School of Music, Katie has presented five full-length recitals including repertoire from the Baroque through the Modern era. As an accomplished orchestral cellist, Katie has served as Principal Cellist of the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra and has played for various musicals, ballets, operas, film recordings, and season concerts since 2003. Katie’s true passion as a cellist lies in performing chamber music. She currently collaborates with guitarist Russ Callison in their duo Solazur, formed in 2016 out of a shared desire to offer captivating and intimate performances of cello and guitar music. In 2018 she collaborated with the renowned Harlem Quartet in a special performance of the Mendelssohn Octet. As a member of the Vero String Quartet (2010-2012) she intensely studied and performed major works of the string quartet repertoire, playing at several venues throughout Indianapolis. Katie’s experience as a chamber musician brought her to four seasons of the Zodiac Chamber Festival and Academy where she spends two weeks collaborating on standard repertoire as well as premiering new compositions throughout the south of France.
Katie plays on a 1949 Collin-Mezin cello.