Hailed by Alex Ross in The New Yorker for his “flawless technique and keen musicality,” cellist Coleman Itzkoff thrives at the intersection of multiple musical worlds. A versatile soloist, chamber musician, and ensemble member, Coleman brings equal passion and mastery to the exploration of historical instruments and contemporary music, to curating chamber experiences and directing festivals, to premiering new works and arranging for orchestras.
Since becoming a founding member of the American Modern Opera Company (AMOC) in 2017, Coleman's artistic practice has expanded in unexpected directions. Working closely with composers Doug Balliett, Keir GoGwilt, and Matthew Aucoin, he has premiered countless works and helped shape AMOC's vision of discipline-colliding art. In 2022, AMOC became only the third ensemble in 75 years to hold the Ojai Festival's Music Directorship. Coleman's work with AMOC has also led him to explore acting, dancing, and theatrical collaboration—performing in choreographer Bobbi Jene Smith's ‘Lost Mountain' and ‘Broken Theatre,' and collaborating with Or Schraiber on ‘The Cello Player.'
In recent years, Coleman has deepened his engagement with Baroque and Renaissance music on period instruments as a core member of Ruckus Early Music and Twelfth Night Ensemble. Chamber music has been central to his musical life since childhood, and he performs regularly at leading festivals including Marlboro, La Jolla SummerFest, and Yellowbarn, as well as at Carnegie Hall, London's Wigmore Hall, and venues throughout Europe and Australia.
Throughout his career, Coleman has been committed to bringing music to broader audiences, receiving grants including the Sviatoslav Richter Grant for Music Outreach and the Cleveland Clinic Arts and Medicine Award.