This month, cellist Ezrael Lukman received the news of a lifetime: he has been accepted into the studio of the esteemed cello pedagogue, Hans Jørgen Jensen, at Northwestern University. Before he embarks on what promises to be a brilliant career, Ezra shared the story of his musical journey so far.
A Musical Foundation
Music has always been central to Ezra’s life. Born into a musical family with a father who used to conduct and a mother who teaches piano and voice, he was immersed in the world of music from birth. Ezra found his own path at age four when he started cello lessons through a local program in his hometown of Portland, Oregon. He continued his studies in Oregon until his family relocated to Illinois three years ago.
Since arriving in Illinois, Ezra has built an impressive professional profile. He has been a member of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras (CYSO) for two years, performing in their premier ensemble as well as the specialized CORE chamber orchestra. His tenure with CYSO included a tour of Spain and an amazing opportunity for any young musician – performing at Lollapalooza – that he will be able to repeat again this summer.
Other musical activities include playing in a chamber group at the Music Institute of Chicago a couple years ago, attending Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival last summer, taking part in the Castleman Quartet program, and of course participating in CMPI.
Recent Accolades
This year has been full of awards, including fourth chair in ILMEA’s Honors orchestra, making the CYSO Concerto Competition finals, and winning a Mary Alice Cox award from the National Federation of Music Clubs. He will be heading off to play in the Equity Arc Pathways Orchestra this month and will also be attending the Cello Festival at Ascent Music this summer.
Through CMPI, Ezra had the distinct honor of participating in several masterclasses, including with the new esteemed music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Klaus Mäkelä, with acclaimed cellist Johannes Moser, and with Gabriel Cabezas. The masterclass with Maestro Mäkelä was one of the defining moments of his time in CMPI, not only because of the masterclass itself, but because it brought together cellists and musicians from all over the region. This included his current teacher, Paula Kosower, and her studio, many of the cellists from the CSO, and even his future teacher, Hans Jørgen Jensen. Despite the natural nerves inherent in playing in such a high-profile class, Ezra describes the experience as a turning point that made him feel truly integrated into the Chicago musical landscape.
Being Well-Rounded
Ezra also participates in numerous athletic endeavors, including swimming, running, playing ultimate frisbee, learning tennis, and exploring folk dancing from many different traditions. His artistry is not limited just to music; he is also a photographer and visual artist. He started out by drawing, exploring visual design principles, and dabbling in graphic effects and 3D arts. What was first self-study in photography became an informal internship, as he assisted and learned from the official photographer on the CYSO Spain tour. Rounding it all out, he has some very eclectic hobbies including interests in aviation, trains, and collecting sneakers.
Looking Toward the Future
Ezra credits much of his college application success to CMPI’s college counseling program, extending special thanks to counselor Ms. Heather McCowen for her invaluable guidance on financial matters and the admissions process. His advice to future students applying to music schools is to make sure that you do all the extras – trial lessons, visits, and more – to really demonstrate your interest in a school and ensure you are connected to potential programs.
For future CMPI fellows navigating the music school circuit, Ezra offers this advice: “Take advantage of every opportunity. Take advantage of everything, do as many recitals as you can, and attend as many concerts as you can.” He also recommends making connections, “with both the more prominent musicians, achievers, and your peers, since you’re bound to see them again in the world of music.” Following his own advice his helped him to forge a tremendous path forward, one that will surely lead to even more stellar accomplishments in the future.
Images
Photos from Ezra Lukman