New York Philharmonic Principal Violist Cynthia Phelps has received numerous honors and awards, including the 1988 Pro Musicis Inter-national Foundation Award and top prize at both the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition and the Washington International String Competition. She has appeared throughout the world as soloist with orchestras, including the Minnesota Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, Orquesta Sinfónica de Bilbao, and Hong Kong Philharmonic, in addition to the New York Philharmonic. She has appeared in recital in Paris, Rome, Los Angeles, Boston, and Washington, and at New York's Alice Tully Hall, London's Wigmore Hall, and St. David's Hall in Cardiff, Wales. She has also been heard on NPR's "St. Paul Sunday Morning," Radio France, and RAI in Italy, and has been featured on the "MacNeil/Lehrer News Hour" and "CBS Sunday Morning." Ms. Phelps has toured South America, Israel, and Germany with the Zukerman and Friends Ensemble, and has performed with the Guarneri String Quartet and at the Mostly Mozart, Marlboro, Seattle, La Jolla, Santa Fe, Bravo! Colorado, Naples, Cremona, and Schleswig-Holstein Festivals. She has appeared often as a guest artist with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Bargemusic, Boston Chamber Music Society, and Chicago Chamber Musicians. Ms. Phelps appeared as soloist with the New York Philharmonic in Richard Strauss' Don Quixote during the 1996-97 season; in Bartók's Viola Concerto during the 1995-96 season; and in Berlioz' Harold in Italy during the 1993-94 season. New works are being written for her by several composers, including Deborah Drattell. She has recorded for the Marlboro Recording Society, Polyvideo, Nuova Era, Virgin Classics, and Covenant labels. Her solo CD, New York Legends, a new series of twelve compact discs each featuring a recital program by a Philharmonic principal player, was released in the fall of 1996.
