Gretchen Yanover - Cellist

Cellist Gretchen Yanover wears two musical hats: one as a composer, primarily for her electric cello with looping pedal—and one as a classical cellist. Gretchen went through Seattle public schools, falling in love with the cello's deep sound in 6th grade. She pursued performance and music education at University of Washington, embracing an interwoven path of teaching and performing. Ms Yanover guided students in music for 17 years, while at the same time growing her own solo performing career. Gretchen started playing with a loop sampler around 2001 and it changed her musical life, inspiring her to improvise and compose spacious string atmospheres woven with warm melodies. .

Yanover performs throughout the Pacific Northwest as a soloist on her electric cello, and has also a member of Northwest Sinfonietta orchestra since 1998. She sits on NW Sinfonietta’s DEI task force, working to make meaningful changes in the classical music culture, along with creating connections in the community.. NW Sinfonietta has featured Gretchen as a soloist on her electric cello on several occasions. 

Gretchen has been a Visiting Artist at Icicle Creek Center for the Arts, appeared as a soloist for the Earshot Jazz Festival, and presented at TEDx Seattle. She created music for and performed with LeVar Burton for LeVar Burton Reads live, and has had compositions commissioned by Seattle Symphony, Seattle Pacific University, and University of Oregon. Gretchen was the recipient of a Shunpike Artist residency, and was the Town Hall Seattle 2021 Fall Artist in Residence. She is the recipient of a 2023 CityArtist grant from the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture. Yanover has 5 solo albums to date.

Gretchen loves exploring on foot, cooking vegan dishes, reading, and social tango dancing.