Ana Ospina’s Cello Recital at New School of Music

On Tuesday, May 26, 2026, Ana Ospina presented a cello recital at New School of Music in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The recital was titled Armadura: Scordatura Recital. The program notes included the following:

This scordatura program explores a variety of emotional and introspective themes. The special tuning of the cello (G, D, G, C) allows for a deeper, darker, and more resonant tone, offering both the audience and the performer the opportunity to explore a unique range of sonic possibilities that complement the emotional journey presented throughout the program.

This special tuning of the A string down to G makes available some chords and sonorities not normally heard on the cello.

Ms. Ospina opened with Armadura by Andrea Casarrubios, a modern but melodic piece that contains interesting harmonics.

For the second part of the program, Ms. Ospina played Johann Sebastian Bach’s Suite for Unaccompanied Violoncello No. 5 in C minor. Ms. Ospina played this suite beautifully. I find this suite to be sombre and austere but a work of genius.

After a short intermission, Ms. Ospina played the last piece with Geoffrey Edwards, whom she introduced as her fiancé. The piece was Sonata No. 6 from VI Duetti a due Violoncelli by Jacomo Klein il Giovano (the Dutch composer Jacob Klein the Younger) (1688-1748). Mr. Edwards is also an accomplished cellist, and this duet was much lighter and more cheerful than the first two pieces. Klein’s duets are rarely played, and I could not find a recording of them.

The second and third pieces were played with baroque cello bows.

Among her other activities, Ana Ospina teaches at the New School of Music in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and she is my cello instructor.