Sonia Mantell

Illinois native Sonia Mantell joined the Minnesota Orchestra cello section in September 2020, and in fall 2024 took on the role of acting co-associate principal cello as well as making her debut as soloist performing James MacMillan’s Kiss on Wood in March 2025.  She studied at New England Conservatory and DePaul School of Music under the tutelage of Natasha Brofksy and Brant Taylor, respectively.  While attending DePaul, she won the Concerto Competition with violinist Ari Urban and performed the Brahms Double Concerto with the DePaul Symphony.  She is a Civic Orchestra of Chicago Alumni (2014-16) and has attended summer festivals at Aspen, National Orchestral Institute, Music Academy of the West and Tanglewood Music Center.

Before moving to Minnesota in 2020, Sonia was an active performer in Chicago. She won a substitute position with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, where she has played with the orchestra and on the MusicNow series of contemporary music. She has performed with Music of the Baroque and the Rembrandt Chamber Series. Sonia also participated in the inaugural year of the 2017 Barnes Ensemble Festival in Philadelphia. Sonia played with Lyric Opera of Chicago for a one year position in their 2018-19 season and then won a cello section position with the orchestra in December of 2018. She returned to Tanglewood for five summers, where she was the recipient of the 2015 Samuel Mayes Memorial Cello Award and the cellist for her last two years in the New Fromm Quartet.

Mantell has collaborated in chamber music performances with artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Leon Fleisher, members of the Jack Quartet, members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra and Lyric Opera Orchestra.