Music at Grace Farms | Arlen Hlusko, cello

Hailed for her “sublime cello prowess” (Take Effect), “absorbing originality” (Gramophone), and “mesmerizing beauty” (NY Music Daily), internationally acclaimed Canadian cellist Arlen Hlusko is a dynamic, versatile artist who has performed extensively as soloist and chamber musician across the Americas, Asia, and Europe. Cellist of the Bang on a Can All-Stars sextet (extolled by The New York Times for “combining the power and punch of a rock band with the precision and clarity of a chamber ensemble”), Hlusko also regularly performs with several other ensembles, including Manhattan Chamber Players, The Knights, and Dolce Suono Ensemble. She is also a member of the Harry Chapin Band and recent alumna of the Curtis Institute of Music and Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect.

(75 min performance, 15 min intermission)

About Arlen Hlusko

Hailed for her “sublime cello prowess” (Take Effect), “absorbing originality” (Gramophone), and “mesmerizing beauty” (NY Music Daily), internationally acclaimed Canadian cellist Arlen Hlusko is a dynamic artist who has performed as soloist and chamber musician across North & South Americas, Asia, and Europe. She is “capable of playing with great delicacy but also fearlessness; regardless of the character of the material, she executes it with authority and conviction […] and open-hearted expression is present throughout” (Textura). Cellist of the Bang on a Can All-Stars sextet (extolled by the New York Times for “combining the power and punch of a rock band with the precision and clarity of a chamber ensemble”), Arlen regularly performs with other ensembles, including Manhattan Chamber Players, The Knights, and Dolce Suono Ensemble, and is a member of the Harry Chapin Band and recent alumna of the Curtis Institute of Music and Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect.

In 2025-6, she will be the inaugural musician “Artist-in-Residence” at Grace Farms in New Canaan, CT. Interested in a wide array of music, she has collaborated closely with artists from Jordi Savall to Midori to Meredith Monk to David Byrne, and is a Grammy-award winner for her collaboration with The Crossing, as well as a laureate of several competitions. Arlen has been featured on CBC’s “30 Under 30,” and is a Larsen Artist. She has debuted with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, BBC Concert Orchestra, and the Calgary Philharmonic, among others, and has been invited to several pre-eminent chamber music festivals, including Spoleto USA, Tippet Rise, Bay Chamber Concerts, and Music from Angel Fire. Committed to using her music to connect with and serve her community, Arlen founded her own interactive chamber music concert series, Philadelphia Performances for Autism, and is involved with numerous communities, including Carnegie Hall’s “Musical Connections” at Sing Sing Correctional Facility.

Music at Grace Farms

Experience Grace Farms’ distinctive, daylit acoustic music performances in the glass-enclosed Sanctuary, against the backdrop of 80 acres of natural landscapes. Season highlights include a recital by internationally acclaimed cellist and 19-time GRAMMY® winner Yo-Yo Ma, GRAMMY® Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell, and a special recital by Grace Farms Artist-in-Residence and GRAMMY®-winning Canadian cellist Arlen Hlusko.