Brian Thornton

Brian Thornton is a multi-faceted musician who has touched the lives of thousands of people through his performances commemorating his teacher, Lev Aronson, and through musical outreach programs around the world.

Mr. Thornton is the founder of the Aronson Cello Festival hosted by Southern Methodist University (SMU)  in Dallas, Texas, where renowned cellist Lev Aronson, taught for many years.  The festival is dedicated to Maestro Aronson's teaching and philosophy of cello playing.  

Mr. Thornton teaches at the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) and performs with the Cleveland Orchestra where he has been part of the cello section for twenty-four years.  His solo album: Kol Nidrei and Beyond, Lev's Story, is centered on the vocal qualities of the cello, and is dedicated to the memory of Mr.  Aronson. 

Education is also a focus of Mr. Thornton's life, and he spends part of his time teaching at CIM, conducting young musicians, as well as traveling to teach in different parts of the world. 

Mr. Thornton began playing the cello in the public school system of Chicago, giving him a passion for teaching young musicians and public school outreach programs. He has traveled from Kolkata, India to Osaka, Japan, influencing young musicians not only to play better cello, but to use music to positively affect the world around them. 

Modern music is of particular interest to Mr. Thornton, and he has premiered more than a hundred new solo cellos works around the world. He has also commissioned many new works, including the Five Works of Shakespeare by the world renown composer Geoffrey Gordon.