Pittsburgh Cello Studio

Nicole L. Myers is a Pittsburgh-based cellist and music educator. Ms. Myers is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Music with Honors in Cello Performance. Well-versed in both classical and alternative styles, Ms. Myers is a founding member of the classical and rock fusion ensemble, Cello Fury. She is the founder and director of Pittsburgh Cello Fest, an annually held community celebration of the instrument, founder of the Pittsburgh Cello Studio, and is a co-founder and director of the summer music program, Cello Fury Rock Camp for Strings. 

In addition to being an active performer, Ms. Myers maintains a cello studio with over 40 students through the Pittsburgh Cello Studio, with lessons provided at several Pittsburgh-area locations, including the PYCO School of Music, New Church School, and the Music Extension Division at Carnegie Mellon University. Ms. Myers has experience teaching both traditional and Suzuki method lessons .  Ms. Myers received Suzuki teacher training for beginning levels through Book 5 primarily from Gilda Barston, as well as Carol Tarr, Annette Costanzi, and Beth Goldstein-McKee. She has training as an early childhood Music Together teacher, and has taught music at both Montessori and Waldorf schools, and taught for many years at the Pittsburgh Music Academy.  Ms. Myers also provides ensemble opportunities for young cellists, including Suzuki group classes, cello ensembles for advanced performers, and coaches and co-manages Steel Town Strings, an all-girl youth cello quartet.  She was a cello coach for the Pittsburgh Youth Philharmonic Orchestra.  Ms. Myers' students currently perform in youth orchestras such as the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra (PYSO), Pittsburgh Youth Concert Orchestra (PYCO), Pittsburgh Youth Philharmonic Orchestra (PYPO), and the Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestra (TRYPO and Symphonette).  

As a multi-style performer and improviser, Ms. Myers performs regularly with ensembles such as Cello Fury,  Resonance Works Pittsburgh, folk group The Early Mays, various chamber music groups and freelances as a recording artist. She has performed on stage with Rod Stewart, Kanye West, Disturbed, and Patrizio Buanne, and performed official showcases for two years straight at the SXSW Music Festival with her band, Cello Fury.  With Cello Fury, she performed the halftime show at a Pittsburgh Steelers football game and performed the national anthem at a Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game, along with an orchestra of Cello Fury Rock Campers.  Ms. Myers has performed at classical music festivals such as the National Repertory Orchestra, the National Orchestral Institute, the American Conservatory of Fontainebleau (France), Cincinnati’s MusicX Festival, and the Mannes Beethoven Institute. While in college, Ms. Myers studied with Pittsburgh Symphony Principal Cellist, Anne Martindale Williams. She was a founding member and manager of the Starling String Quartet, the Honor’s Quartet of Carnegie Mellon University, performing for legendary cellist Mstislav Rostropovich. Ms. Myers served as principal cellist of the Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic for four years. In addition, she performed with the CMU Contemporary Ensemble, Baroque Ensemble, and Opera. An Andrew Carnegie Society scholar, Ms. Myers was a member of the Pi Kappa Lambda music honor society and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Ms. Myers was a recipient of the Wilkins Cello Scholarship and also coordinated the CMU Philharmonic’s Student Orchestral Committee for three years. 

Originally from Lancaster, PA, Ms. Myers was principal cellist of the PMEA All-State Orchestra while a sophomore in high school. During her junior year, she studied abroad in Germany for one year as a Congress-Bundestag scholarship recipient. During that time, she was selected to speak to members of the German Bundestag, including the Chancellor Helmut Kohl, and performed many concerts in Germany.

Simon J.C. Cummings is a cellist, composer and teacher based in Pittsburgh, PA.   After graduating from the Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts in 2004, he attended Carnegie Mellon University and received his BFA in 2008.  Mr. Cummings is a founder, cellist, and composer in the cross-genre cello ensemble, Cello Fury, which is based in Pittsburgh.  As a member of Cello Fury, Mr. Cummings has performed across 29 states and for audiences as large as 70,000. Mr. Cummings currently collaborates with numerous Pittsburgh-based cultural groups, such as  Attack Theatre, Resonance Works, Texture Contemporary Ballet and Alia Musica.  As a recording artist, he has performed on and composed for three Cello Fury albums and his solo cello work was featured on the title track of The Clarks latest album. 

As a teacher, Mr. Cummings works with cellists of all ages through the Pittsburgh Cello Studio.  He was appointed as Strings Teachers for both elementary and middle school students at the The Ellis School in Pittsburgh.  Mr. Cummings is a founding member and teacher at Cello Fury Rock Camp for Strings, a summer music program that teaches alternative string music to children. Mr. Cummings has also orchestrated and arranged music for youth ensembles across the country, including 10 years of Cello Fury Rock Camp.

While studying at Carnegie Mellon University, he served as co-principal cellist of the Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic and was a two-time recipient of both the Wilkins Cello Scholarship and the Tuesday Musical Club Scholarship.