Paula Kosower

Paula Kosower has been a member of the Music Institute’s cello faculty since September 2025.  She earned bachelor of music and master of music degrees at Indiana University and a doctor of music degree at Northwestern University. She frequently plays with a wide variety of both chamber and symphonic ensembles. In recent seasons she has performed with Fulcrum Point New Music Project, for the MusicNOW series at Chicago Symphony Center, the Chicago Philharmonic Chamber Music Series, the Dame Myra Hess concert series, the Wheaton College Artist Series, International Chamber Artists concerts, and programs on WFMT 98.7. She frequently serves as a substitute player in the cello sections of the Chicago Symphony and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. For many years she also played when needed with the Milwaukee Symphony, the Grant Park Symphony and the Chicago Philharmonic. She enjoys contemporary music and has performed for numerous seasons as a member of the Chicago based contemporary ensemble Picosa. She teaches applied lessons, cello pedagogy and orchestral repertoire classes and is an adjunct faculty member at several universities in the Chicago area including DePaul and the University of Illinois-Chicago. She teaches private cello lessons for pre-college students at the Northwestern University Music Academy. During the summer season she frequently plays with the Chicago Symphony at the Ravinia Festival, and for chamber music festivals such as Midsummer’s Music Festival in Wisconsin. She also has taught at regional chamber music camps organized by Midwest Young Artists, the Chicago Chamber Music Festival, and DePaul University.