Eugene Friesen (born 1952) is an American cellist and composer.

Early life

Friesen was born in 1952 to Russian Mennonite parents. He is a graduate of the Yale School of Music.

Career

Friesen has been a member of the Paul Winter Consort since 1978, and performs with Howard Levy and Glen Velez as Trio Globo. He received a Grammy Award as a member of the Paul Winter Consort for the 1994 album Spanish Angel and again in 2006 for the Consort's Silver Solstice in 2007 for Crestone, and in 2011 for Miho: Journey to the Mountain. Friesen has won four Grammy Awards to date. In 2012, Friesen's book, Improvisation for Classical Musicians was published by Berklee Press/Hal Leonard. He teaches at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts and lives in Vermont. Among his prominent students are Rushad Eggleston, Mads Tolling, Lindsay Mac, and Nathan Leath. Friesen also runs a nonprofit production company, Sonoterra Productions, producing concerts, recordings and workshops.

Discography

As leader

As sideman

With Scott Cossu With Aine Minogue With Paul Winter With others