He is a cellist born in New York City who started learning the cello when he was 9 years old and went on to become a student at the Juilliard Preparatory Division on a scholarship before later gaining his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees at the Juilliard School.
He became a member of the Baltimore Symphony and a musician with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and in 1985 became a member of The Philadelphia Orchestra. He later joined The Rachmaninov Trio in 2003.
Outside of his worked with the orchestra he has a chamber musician and soloist and has given solo performances and recitals on a national and international level.
Recordings he has performed on include Peter Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 “Pathetique”/Dumka by The Philadelphia Orchestra.
He is a regular participant in outreach and volunteer activities and in the field of musical education has taught on the faculties of the College of New Jersey, the Hartwick Summer Festival, the Philadelphia College of Bible, Strings International, Summer Strings Seminar and the University of Virginia.
In 1998 he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis but somehow managed to overcome it and continue with his career. He published the book When the Music Stopped: My Battle and Victory Against MS in 2015.
Sources:
- https://www.philorch.org/your-philorch/meet-your-orchestra/musicians/robert-cafaro/
- https://plantyourself.com/pyp-153-bob-cafaro-beating-ms/
- https://eu.courierpostonline.com/story/life/2016/02/05/haddon-township-cellist-multiple-sclerosis/79881466/
- https://www.wamc.org/arts-culture/2015-08-05/philadephia-orchestra-cellist-robert-cafaro
- https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Philadelphia-Orchestra-cellist-beats-MS-9133564.php
- http://www.oce.nysed.gov/nysssa/orchestra/faculty/robert-cafaro-cello
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/4625603-Robert-Cafaro