Recently appointed as a Resident Fellow for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Ismael Ariel Guerrero Bombut is an accomplished cellist who has won many competitions and performed all over the world. Born and raised in Havana, Cuba, Guerrero has also participated in masterclasses with renowned cellists such as Carlos Prieto, Lauren Lesser, Colin Carr, Clemen Hagens, Frans Helmerson, Leidi Litschauer, and many others. As a soloist, Guerrero has performed in Mexico, Switzerland, Cuba and throughout the United States; as a chamber musician, he has collaborated with renowned musicians such as Vadim Gluzman, Michael Kannen, Nicholas Kitchen, Yeesun Kim, Alon Goldstein, and Amit Peled. Guerrero is a member of the renowned Sphinx Virtuosi, comprised of the nation’s top Black and Latinx soloists, and made his Carnegie Hall debut with the group in their 2021-2022 tour. He is also an active member of the Colour of Music Festival, which also promotes black excellence in the arts. Guerrero has recorded multiple albums for CTM Classics as a member of the Peabody Cello Gang and as a principal cellist of the Mount Vernon Virtuosi Orchestra. He has attended multiple summer festivals such as Heifetz International Music Institute in Staunton, VA, Keshet Eilon in Israel, and Manchester Music Festival in Vermont. Guerrero has made appearances in the radio on several occasions, one of which promoted his concert as a soloist with the Tel Aviv Soloists Ensemble conducted by Barak Tal in The Opera House of the Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center.

Under the tutelage of Prof. Amit Peled, he completed his Bachelor of Music degree at the Peabody Conservatory. He has recently graduated with the Master of Music degree at USC Thornton School of Music, where he worked with Prof. Ralph Kirshbaum, Prof. Antonio Lysy and Prof. Marcy Rosen. He is grateful to have received full scholarships throughout his studies at these top institutions. He is extremely thankful to Cecylia Barczyk and the Borowsky Family for providing him with the opportunity to immigrate to the United States to pursue his studies and begin his career.

Guerrero loves teaching, a passion which he discovered through the opportunity to give a masterclass for the PEG Program at The Heifetz Music Institute in 2018. He recently taught masterclasses at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and George Mason University. He has also been involved in several outreach programs that focus on working with music students of all ages and on bringing classical music to people who have little or no access to it. While at USC Thornton, he was part of the Thornton Community Engagement Program and had the chance to work with children from different schools in Los Angeles.

Guerrero feels extremely honored and grateful to be selected as one of the Salon the Virtuosi’s Career Grant Winners for 2022.