"Sheer virtuosity and star power. Rosen delivered a tour de force of

technique and expression, from the most delicate whispers to rifle-shot

pizzicati, with passageway of searing heat and dramatic intensity. "

THE LOS ANGELES TIMES, May 27, 1991
Cellist Nathaniel Rosen gained American recognition upon winning the 1977 Naumburg Competition, and international stardom the following year when he became the only American cellist ever to win the Gold Medal at the Tchaikovsky International Competition.

At age six Mr. Rosen began studying the cello with Eleonore Schoenfeld in his native California. Seven years later he met the legendary Gregor Piatigorsky, who soon became his teacher and mentor. By twenty-two Rosen had become his assistant as well, a post he retained until the master's death in 1976.

 At seventeen Nathaniel Rosen toured the Soviet Union as a finalist in the Third International Tchaikovsky Competition, where he was the youngest of the 42 competing cellists, and one of. Three Americans to win a prize. He returned to Moscow twelve years later (1978) and became the first Gold Medal-winning American instrumentalist since Van Cliburn (1958).

 Mr. Rosen's New York debut occurred in 1970 as winner of the Piatigorsky Award of the New York Violoncello Society. A Martha Baird Rockefeller Grant made possible a 1986 concert in Alice Tully Hall, where he premiered work by William Kraft t. As a 1977 Naumburg winner, Mr. Rosen also presented two recitals at Tully (in 1977 and 1978). Other career highlights include two seasons as principal cellist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and associations with Music from Marlboro and the popular "Monday Evening Concerts" in Los Angeles. Mr. Rosen is familiar to television audiences from his appearances on The Today Show and PBS’s Previn and the Pittsburgh and Evening at Pops (Boston).

As principal cellist of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra he gave the premiere performances of Robert Linn’s Fantasia for cello and the Chamber Orchestra, commissioned by Sir Neville Marriner. In 1988 Mr. Rosen and violinist Elmar Oliveira gave the world-premiere performances of Ezra Laderman's Concerto for Violin and Cello, commemorating the tenth anniversary of the two soloists' Gold Medal victories at the Tchaikovsky Competition.

Elan Recordings recently issued Mr. Rosen's acclaimed disc of the Prokofiev Sonata in C and Rachmaninoff Sonata in G Minor alongside a Northstar Records release of Mr. Rosen performing well known transcriptions by, Piatigorsky, Leonard Rose, Nathaniel Rosen and others. Of the sonatas recording the February 1991 issue of FANFARE declared, "Both works are 'well represented by first-class performances in the current catalog, but these new ones can stand up to any. Highest recommendation." His discography also includes the Bach Gamba Sonatas with pianist Anthony Newman (on Vox Cum Laude). Tchaikovsky Piano Trio (with Elmar Oliveira and Mikhail Pletnyev) and both Chopin’s and Schumann's complete works for cello and piano (on Desmar).

Mr. Rosen is currently on the faculty at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.