ABOUT

Born in 1999, Chinese-American cellist Haddon Kay is one of the rising stars of his generation, recognized for the genuine expressivity and musical eloquence. Haddon is a top prize winner at the 2024 George Enescu International Cello Competition held in Bucharest, Romania and he was ranked among the top seven at the 2025 Budapest International Cello Competition. Additionally, Haddon competed in the 2nd Queen Elisabeth Competition in Belgium and was a winner of Northwestern University’s Concerto/Aria competition, after which he performed the Dvorak Cello Concerto with the Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Victor Yampolsky. He was selected as the 2024 Luminarts Fellow in Classical Strings and was awarded the 2023 American Opera Society of Chicago Scholarship Award.

A dedicated chamber musician, Haddon is one of the newest artists in the Bowers Program of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center where he makes regular appearances at Alice Tully Hall and with CMS on Tour. Haddon is also a founding member of the Galvin Cello Quartet, formed in 2021 at the Bienen School of Music, which recently won Concert Artists Guild’s 2022 Victor Elmaleh Competition and the silver medal at the 2021 Fischoff Competition. The Galvin Quartet continues to regularly tour in concerts around the United States managed by DininArts. Haddon has appeared at Music@Menlo, Bravo!Vail, Rockport Music Festival in addition to many other notable festivals. He has worked with many distinguished musicians such as David Finckel, Wu Han, Gilbert Kalish, Arnaud Sussman, Shmuel Ashkenazi, and the Dover Quartet. Haddon also performs regularly with members of the Lyric Opera of Chicago through the Rembrandt Chamber Musicians. He has also won 1st prizes at the Rembrandt and Discover Chamber Music Competitions with various groups.

Born and raised in the Chicago area, Haddon is a graduate of Northwestern University, receiving his Bachelor’s Degree in 2022 and his Master’s Degree in 2024. Haddon is currently pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Northwestern, continuing his studies under the tutelage of Hans Jorgen Jensen. Haddon has also studied with Jens Peter Maintz, Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt, and Clive Greensmith through the Kronberg Masterclasses and the Vivace Music Foundation.

In addition to playing the cello, Haddon is an avid volleyball player and was on Northwestern University’s men’s club volleyball team.