Raya Garbousova

Raya Garbousova was a cellist and teacher who was born in 1909. She made her formal debut in Moscow (1923) and left the Soviet Union in 1925. After performing across Europe, she gave her first performance in New York City (1935) and emigrated to the United States in 1939. Garbousova performed with many of the world's leading conductors and orchestras. She was particularly associated with the cello music of Samuel Barber, who wrote his Concerto for Cello & Orchestra (1946) for her. She performed the world premiere of the piece with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Her discography includes the recording of the “Barber Sonata for Cello and Piano”. Garbousova served as a teacher at Northern Illinois University and the Hartt College of Music. She died in 1997.