About Hannah
Canadian cellist Hannah Addario-Berry has been praised for her “superb virtuosity” (Fanfare Magazine) and “natural lyricism” (Avant Music News). She is Principal Cellist of the Vancouver Island Symphony, and was previously co-Principal Cellist for San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, as well as a core member of San Francisco Contemporary Music Players and Del Sol String Quartet.
A versatile recitalist and chamber musician, Hannah has been a guest with ensembles such as Vetta Chamber Music, Microcosmos Quartet, Turning Point Ensemble, Chamber Music Society of San Francisco, and Ensemble Parallèle. She has performed at numerous music festivals, including Music By The Sea, Blueridge Chamber Music Festival, Other Minds, Trinity Alps Chamber Music Festival, and Casalmaggiore Festival.
Hannah is a champion of new music and has collaborated with hundreds of composers on commissions, premieres, and concerto soloist engagements. Her project Scordatura, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Zoltán Kodály's monumental Sonata for Solo Cello, contributed 8 commissioned works to the repertoire, all of which share a unique altered tuning of the cello. Scordatura culminated in a 25-city North American tour and was recorded for Aerocade Music. Hannah’s debut solo album, Lady in the East, features music for solo cello by the Canadian composer Stephen Brown and was reviewed by Gramophone Magazine.
Hannah also fosters a love of music in her community outside of the concert hall in informal, educational, and pop-up settings. She created and directed Cello Bazaar, a monthly cello concert series at Bazaar Café in San Francisco, as well as Locaphonic, a series pairing notable chefs and musicians to create curated dinner concerts.
As an educator with over 25 years of private and group teaching experience, Hannah has been a coach for Chamber Musicians of Northern California and Kessler Academy in Vancouver, and has been an instructor as well as guest lecturer at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Hannah grew up in British Columbia and studied at Victoria Conservatory of Music, McGill University, and San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She now lives with her family in North Vancouver, BC, where she enjoys hiking, gardening, cooking, woodworking, and her other career as a childbirth educator.
Performance Highlights
With Vancouver Island Symphony at the Port Theatre. Nanaimo, BC, 2024.
Photo: HA Photography
Performance of Ligeti String Quartet #1 with Microcosmos Quartet. Vancouver, BC, 2023.
Performing Zeena Parkins' Sistere for cello and electronics, San Francisco Contemporary Music Players concert. San Francisco, CA, 2021.
Photo: Stephen B Hahn
Performing with clarinetist Jeff Anderle at Opus Chamber Music series. Mendocino, CA, 2018.
Photo: Larry Wagner
After completing the recording of Scordatura solo album. Tiburon, CA, 2016.
With the two cellos I performed on for Brookings Harbor Friends of Music Recital. Brookings, OR, 2016.
Performing Kodály Sonata at the Hungarian Heritage Festival. Belmont, CA, 2015.
Scordatura premiere concert, Old First Church. San Francisco, CA, 2015.
Lecture performance as part of Scordatura tour, Toronto Public Library. Toronto, ON, 2015.
With cellist Anssi Kartunnen, rehearsing at Creative Dialogues IV. Santa Fe, NM, 2011.
Performing with Marc Destrube and Marcus Thompson at Music By The Sea Festival. Bamfield, BC, 2009.
Photo: Al Kay
Performing Ligeti's Solo Sonata as part of StringWreck, a dance and music collaboration with GarrettMoulton Productions. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, CA, 2008.
Photo: Liz Hafalia, SF Chronicle
Del Sol String Quartet and didjeridoo player Stephen Kent, performing at the Library of Congress. Washington DC, 2007.
Del Sol String Quartet with recording production team Jason O'Connell, Marcela Zorro, and Dann Michael Thompson, after recording Ring of Fire. Skywalker Studio, Nicasio, CA, 2007.
With composer Peter Sculthorpe, after rehearsing his Quartet #16 for Other Minds Festival. Djerassi Center, Woodside, CA, 2007.
With pianist Menahem Pressler, following our performance of Brahms' Piano Quintet. San Francisco, 2004.
Following Del Sol Quartet's performance at Symphony Space. New York City, NY, 2009.
Del Sol String Quartet with composer Michael Harrison, Other Minds Festival. San Francisco, CA, 2009.
The seven cellists of Anssi Kartunnen's Creative Dialogues IV workshop. Santa Fe, NM, 2011.
Rehearsing with vocalist Andrew Eisenmann for Divide Light Opera production at Montalvo Arts Center. Saratoga, CA. 2008.
Performing at Cello Bazaar, a monthly cello series I created and curated. San Francisco, CA, 2016.
Performing at Vancouver Island Symphony's 30th Anniversary celebration. Nanaimo, BC, 2024.
Photo: HA Photography
Rehearsing "Hannah" for cello and electronics, with composer Dobromila Jaskot at Other Minds Festival. San Francisco, CA, 2009
Performing with Joan Watson and Marcus Thompson, Music By The Sea festival. Bamfield, BC, 2009.
Photo: Al Kay
Performance at Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life. Berkeley, CA, 2016.
Photo: Laura Turbow Photography
With Wu Man, pipa soloist, rehearsing for our production of Tan Dun's Ghost Opera, with Del Sol String Quartet and Santa Fe Opera. Santa Fe, NM, 2007
Rehearsing with vocalist Madi Sato for Littleglobe's production of Bus Opera. Santa Fe, NM, 2010.
Performing at Music By The Sea festival, Bamfield, BC, 2009.
Photo: Al Kay
Performing Gloria Justen's "Flowing Turning Dance" at San Francisco Contemporary Music Players concert. San Francisco, CA, 2018.
Photo: Stephen B Hahn
Performing with the Haydn Project, colleagues Robin Sharp, Antoine van Dongen, and Benjamin Simon at Freight and Salvage Coffeehouse. Berkeley, CA, 2015.
Our fabulous low string section at Vancouver Island Symphony. Nanaimo, BC, October, 2024.