Joshua Samuels is a cellist from Toronto, Canada, who is pursuing his Master of Music at the Eastman School of Music in the studio of Professor Joseph Johnson. Prior to Eastman, Joshua completed his Honours Bachelor of Arts in Montreal at McGill University, studying psychology and philosophy. Throughout his undergraduate years, he continued his musical pursuits alongside his academic course load.
As a student outside of the university’s music department, Joshua led the McGill Beethoven Orchestra as principal cellist, and performed in various chamber groups throughout his degree. He also carried out first-hand research in psychology labs dedicated to the field of music cognition. Joshua used his musical background in research settings, working to enhance the scientific understanding of music’s impact on people. As part of his honours research program, he authored two theses exploring the role of transfer-learning between limbs in musicians, and the role of physiological synchrony in music performance.
Beyond his research, Joshua was committed to bringing people together from various backgrounds through music. He was the co-president of the McGill Classical Music Club, which gathered musicians from across the university’s various academic faculties into chamber groups. He helped organize recitals throughout the academic year, giving students and faculty the opportunity to share their music with the greater Montreal community.
In the summers, Joshua used the time away from his studies to immerse himself further in music. He toured Canada as co-principal cellist of the National Youth Orchestra and was the recipient of the Award of Excellence, granted to the most advanced students in the orchestra. Joshua has performed for audiences across Canada at venues such as Koerner Hall, the Winspear Centre, and the Bella Concert Hall.
At Eastman, Joshua is eager to begin this new chapter where he will be able to fully dedicate his efforts to music while inspiring new audiences. His unique background has taught him the importance of developing the confidence to forge one’s own path while being true to one’s self. Joshua plays on a 1990 cello crafted by David Wiebe, generously on loan from the Grace & Bruce Galler Musical Instrument Collection.