Beth Rapier

Beth Rapier joined the Minnesota Orchestra in 1986 and served as assistant principal cello from 1991 until 2022, when she chose to move into the core of the cello section. She has been a featured soloist with the Orchestra in works by Haydn, David Ott and Kevin Puts, the latter being the world premiere of his Sinfonia concertante in 2006. Throughout her tenure, she has appeared regularly at the Orchestra’s chamber music concerts. During the 2013-14 season, she performed as a guest with the Dallas Symphony and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.

An accomplished chamber musician, Rapier won top awards at several competitions in the U.S. and Canada and has performed quartets throughout Europe, Asia and the U.S. She has been a regular guest at chamber music festivals, including Cactus Pear, Music in the Vineyards, and Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society. Other appearances include Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival, Rockport (Massachusetts) Chamber Music Festival, Mainly Mozart, Colorado Festival Orchestra, Grand Tetons Music Festival, Pensacola Chamber Music Festival, Barge Music (New York City), Bing Series (L.A.), Old First Church Series (San Francisco), Festival Mozart (Lille, France), and the Santa Barbara and MET Museum Chamber Music Series.

She was a founding member of the Rosalyra String Quartet, which received a McKnight Foundation Artist Fellowship and performed for nearly 20 years at venues from the Twin Cities to Boston, New York City and France. With the Rosalyra, she recorded works by Bartók, Beethoven, Brahms, Fauré and Shostakovich for Boston Records and Artegra labels. Most recently, with singer Timothy Jones, she recorded settings of Five Spirituals by James Scott Ballentine for Baritone and Cello on Albany Records.

Born into a family of distinguished musicians, Rapier began her professional career at age 16 as an apprentice with the Louisville Orchestra. She holds degrees from Indiana University and the State University of New York, where she studied with Janos Starker, Fritz Magg and Timothy Eddy. Upon graduation, she joined the Apple Hill Chamber Players of New Hampshire for two seasons of performances throughout New England, the Midwest and California.

In 2005 Rapier was again named winner of a McKnight Foundation Artist Fellowship for her performance of cello duos with her husband, Anthony Ross, principal cello of the Minnesota Orchestra. Together, the duo has organized numerous benefit concerts for Twin Cities Habitats, American Refugee Committee and Twin Cities R!SE. If not onstage with her beloved colleagues, Rapier is happiest on her yoga mat or hiking in the North woods with her English Labrador, Jessica Pearl.