Elizabeth Rice became a member of the Toledo Symphony at the start of the 2018/2019 season. Elizabeth was previously a member of the Lexington Philharmonic and the Des Moines Metro Opera, and has performed with various other orchestras including the Cincinnati Symphony and Alabama Symphony. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Elizabeth received both Bachelors and Masters degrees in Cello Performance while studying with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra cellist Alan Rafferty. She has also studied with Hans Jensen at the Meadowmount School Of Music, and has received recognition in competitions as both a solo and chamber musician.

 

Classical music has always been part of Elizabeth’s life thanks in part to growing up listening to a local public radio station fully dedicated to the genre, and attending her hometown orchestra’s Young People’s concerts. She began her musical journey via piano, adding cello at the age of nine simply because her mother liked the instrument and “why not?”. One of Elizabeth’s earliest fond cello memories involves rehearsing as part of a small cello ensemble, and chamber music remains one of her most cherished methods of creating and sharing music.

 

When not playing cello, Elizabeth enjoys being outdoors, petting dogs, reading, and baking. She daydreams about hiking long trails in the mountains, and shares her home with a growing horde of plants that she mostly manages to keep alive.