Ariel Barnes
Principal Cello
Vancouver Opera Orchestra
Ariel Barnes, Principal Cello of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra enjoys a diverse career as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician. Over the past several years, he has performed to great acclaim in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Equally comfortable in genres of music ranging from the baroque to modern times, his performances have included evenings of Mozart’s chamber music to contemporary solo cello recitals. As an avid chamber musician, he has enjoyed appearances at MusicFest Vancouver, the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, Mendocino Music Festival, Music at Port Milford, and Northern Lights Music Festival. Along with colleagues Mary Sokol-Brown and Andrew Brown, Ariel is a member of Trio Accord, a Vancouver-based string trio which has been praised for its “enchanting,” “exhilarating,” and “extremely moving” performances. Trio Accord have recently been return guests at the Northern Lights Music Festival in Ajijic, Mexico and are currently Faculty members at the Courtney Youth Music Camp in British Columbia. Released in the fall of 2008, Trio Accord’s debut recording on Skylark Records of J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations was nominated for Classical Record of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards.
Former cellist of the Borealis String Quartet and former Principal Cello of the CBC Radio Orchestra, he is currently Principal Cello of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, a member of The Turning Point Ensemble and National Broadcast Orchestra. Ariel’s recordings can be heard on ATMA Classique, Skylark Records, Universal Music, 604 Records, Centrediscs, CBC Radio (including Espace Musique), CBC Television, Integrity Music, Za Discs, Disney Films, and Funktopus Records.
