I am a strong believer that our instruments still have room to improve in sound and vibration and naturally produce a bigger and more vibrant sound. The tailpiece is a sensitive area of our instrument, its function is not only hold strings but to transmit the vibration and feed it back to the bridge. Using carbon fiber makes sense because its weight to density ratio is able to transmit vibrations back to the bridge much more than wood, plastic or metal. I made one for my 1700 Mateo Goffriller, instantly it woke up the old cello and gave it extra vibration, more focus, deeper bass, faster response, clearer tone and much more sound.
A native of Taipei, Taiwan, Kenneth Kuo has been hailed by the Sydney Morning Herald as a “cellist with great facility and confidence,” and Strings magazine as an artist with “effortless technique, a beautiful, warm tone, and an unabashedly romantic soul.”
Kenneth Kuo began cello lessons at the age of four, and by eight had won the first of three consecutive Taipei Youth Cello Competition awards. In 1986, he enrolled in the Preparatory Division of the Manhattan School of Music, studying with Marion Feldman. He continued his studies with Harvey Shapiro at The Juilliard School, when he earned his Bachelor’s Degree, followed by advanced work with Aldo Parisot at Yale University, which conferred his Master’s of Music Degree as well as the Aldo Parisot Prize in recognition of his artistic achievements. Other important teachers include James Kreger, David Geber, sho-San Lin and Da-Ou Zhao.
Kenneth Kuo has performed throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, appearing in dozens of distinguished venues, including New York City’s Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts’ Avery Fisher Hall and Alice Tully Hall, Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Hall and St. Petersburg’s Glazunov Concert Hall, the Taiwan National Concert Hall and the Sydney Town Hall in Australia. He has collaborated with many celebrated artists, among them Pierre Boulez, Erick Friedman, Aldo Parisot and Itzhak Perlman, and, in January 2000, was invited to perform for President Lee Teng-hui of Taiwan.
In addition to his classical performances, Kenneth Kuo has recorded two albums for Taiwan’s Jingo Records: “The Memories of Boom Mi Pon” (the top-selling classical album for 10 consecutive months) and “Splendid Adventure.” Both recordings – with combined sales of over 500,000 CDs – were nominated for “Best Crossover Instrumental Album” by the Golden Music Awards in Taiwan; they are currently available from Amazon and iTunes. His latest CD, “The Sky You Decide,” released on Virgin Records, was originally recorded for San Li Television’s Discovery, Food and History channels and was seen throughout Taiwan. Mr. Kuo’s crossover projects also include collaborations with numerous Asian pop superstars, as well as independent pop and folk artists from around the world.
Kenneth Kuo is the Founder and President of The Connecticut School of Music in Westport and Greenwich and the creator of the Connecticut Musical Arts Foundation, a non-profit organization assisting students with musical and financial needs. He has also held positions at Yale University, Taiwan National Teachers College, Thames Valley Music School in Connecticut College, Ithaca Violincello Institute, New England Music Camp and Colombia’s University Antonio Nariño.
Kenneth Kuo owns and performs on two historic celli, crafted by legendary Venetian masters – a 1700 Mateo Goffriller and a 1735 Francesco Gofriller.
Kenneth Kuo and his wife, Satoko, make their home in New York City.