The Collective

Since beginning his cello studies at the age of six, Derek Snyder has appeared as a soloist with orchestras in the United States and Europe and has collaborated with members of the Cavani Quartet, the Cleveland Quartet and major orchestras including The Cleveland Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Montreal Symphony and Baltimore Symphony.

He has served as principal cello in City Music Cleveland, the Cleveland Chamber Orchestra and is currently a member of the Bluewater Chamber Orchestra. His group the Oblivion Project has explored the nuevo tango music of Astor Piazzolla since 2003.

An active teacher, Mr. Snyder has a private cello studio, and is on the Suzuki faculty at Hawken School, Hudson Montessori and at the Music Settlement where he also runs three youth orchestras. He has worked as a coach for the Contemporary Youth Orchestra for over a decade and also coaches regularly in the Cleveland Heights/Shaker Heights schools.

He has created numerous transcriptions and arrangements for cello ensembles, focusing primarily on the music of Dave Brubeck and Astor Piazzolla. His arrangements can be heard on the Naxos label as performed by the Yale Cellos and are published by Cellocelli Music. His arrangements of the music of Graham Nash and Bootsy Collins were performed by Liza Grossman and the Contemporary Youth Orchestra with the artists present.