IZAIAH CHEERAN is an emerging musician dedicated to bringing communities together through our shared experiences, cultures, and differences, using the arts as a unifying force.
In October 2024, Cheeran was appointed Second Oboe/English Horn of the Philadelphia Ballet by Beatrice Jona Affron. Cheeran is also pursuing his undergraduate degree at the Curtis Institute of Music, studying under Katherine Needleman and Philippe Tondre. He entered Curtis in 2022 at age sixteen. Cheeran has made appearances with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Opera Philadelphia, Quad City Symphonies, and Carnegie Hall’s NYO2 and NYO-USA. He has also spent summers at the Music Academy of the West and the Pacific Music Festival. In the summer of 2026, he will be an oboe fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center.
Equally passionate about solo and chamber music, Cheeran frequently performs in the weekly Curtis “Student Recital Series” and is deeply committed to community engagement. This
past January, Cheeran performed alongside pianist Jonathan Biss in the “Music for Food” benefit concert to support food insecurity initiatives in the city of Philadelphia. As a soloist, he has performed with the Minnesota Orchestra and has earned top honors in competitions presented by Thursday Musical and the Schubert Club. He has garnered media recognition through appearances on NPR’s “From the Top” and the PBS-WHYY documentary series, “On-Stage at Curtis”.
A Minnesota native, he began playing the oboe at age ten under the tutelage of Dr. Carrie Vecchione and Cassie Pilgrim. When not practicing or making reeds, you can find him exploring Philadelphia or perfecting latte art at home.
About our Rising Stars
ChamberFest Cleveland’s Rising Stars are recognized for their extraordinary talent. They are invited to deepen their connection to the art of chamber music by immersing themselves in the festival, rehearsing side by side with the leading chamber musicians of our time, and performing in a professional concert setting for discerning audiences and critics alike.
The Rising Stars program is generously sponsored by Michael Frank and the late Pat Snyder.