Susan Babini

About Susan

Susan Babini was appointed Principal Cello of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra in 2012. She has been recognized for her "gorgeous sound and liquid sense of phrasing” (Philadelphia Enquirer), her “achingly beautiful” playing (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) and “gorgeous, dark sound” (Milwaukee Shepherd Express). Babini was also Principal Cello with New Century Chamber Orchestra, and has performed as Guest Principal Cello with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.

A regularly featured soloist with the Milwaukee Symphony, Babini most recently performed the Elgar Cello Concerto in 2022 with Edo DeWaart. Babini has also performed as soloist with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, New Century Chamber Orchestra, and the Princeton Symphony Orchestra. An Astral Artist alum, she has been presented in solo recital by the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society. Susan gave the East Coast premiere of Aaron Jay Kernis's Colored Field for Cello and is also featured on Kernis' album On Distant Shores. In June 2025 she will perform the Milwaukee premiere of the Kernis with Ken-David Masur and the Milwaukee Symphony.

A passionate chamber musician, Babini has participated in the Marlboro Music Festival and subsequently toured with "Musicians from Marlboro”. She performed as guest cellist with the Cavani String Quartet, and appeared in recital with Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg at the Aspen Music Festival. In addition, she has participated in the Tanglewood and Yellow Barn Music Festivals.

An avid educator, Babini has spent summers teaching and performing at the Brevard Music Center and coached for the National Youth Orchestra. In the past she taught orchestral repertoire at Northwestern University, and is currently coaches for the Advanced Chamber Music program at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music.

Babini holds a Graduate Diploma from The Juilliard School and B.M and M.M degrees from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.