Department of Music Faculty and Staff

Sarah Berry, *cello and double bass, holds the position of Professional-in-Residence at Western Kentucky University, where she teaches cello, double bass, pre-college cello group classes, and collegiate classes. Mrs. Berry taught for six years in the Bowling Green public schools as part of WKU’s partnership with the school systems to start local string programs. She directed WKU’s summer camp for strings, String Explosion, for ten years.

An active chamber musician, Mrs. Berry performs regularly with the Baker Chamber Players and is a founding member of the cello / percussion duo, Col Legno. Col Legno has received grant funding through the Kentucky Arts Council, and is dedicated to exploring both existing and new repertoire for this unique combination. The duo recently premiered Dr. Berry’s composition, “Heliospheric II for violoncello and vibraphone” at the Hawaii International Conference on the Arts and Humanities.

Mrs. Berry has been a Guest Conductor at the WKU String Invitational, Nashville Honors Orchestra, Tennessee Valley Music Festival, the Levine School of Music and Charleston School for the Arts in Charleston, South Carolina. She has recently given master classes for the Kentucky All-State orchestras, Ohio Northern University, Southeastern College, and for the Owensboro and Murfeesboro youth orchestras.

Mrs. Berry received her Masters in Cello Performance from Rice University and her Bachelor of Music degree from Vanderbilt University with majors in Cello Performance and German. Her principal teachers include Felix Wang, Norman Fischer and Grace Mihi Bahng.