SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Susan Lamb is a Sacramento native and cellist for the Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera who found her voice through cello when she was just a little girl. Now she’s performing in her home town on the big stage.
"Many people say that the cello's voice is very similar to the human voice,” said Lamb. "Sacramento's music culture is very rich, alive and diverse."
Lamb comes from a family of musicians — music is just in her DNA.
Her father was the lead violinist in the Sacramento symphony concerts she regularly attended as a child, and he taught at Sacramento State.
"We have many wonderful musicians in the Sacramento area. We’re very, very fortunate about that,” said Lamb. “Highly skilled, highly trained musicians. Many of them are in the schools teaching the younger generation about performing instruments."
A proud McClatchy high school alum, Lamb has taken her talent around the country and the world to Europe and beyond.
"I'm very fond of the music of Beethoven. I did my studies in Vienna, Austria, so I lived in the land of Beethoven for many many years," said Lamb.
Even after traveling as much as she has, she says Sacramento will always be home.
Now she teaches at UC Davis, encouraging the next generation of musicians to find their voices like she had many years ago. Lamb founded the Sacramento Youth Symphoney's Chamber Music Workshop, a summer program she directed for 30 years.
"I've taught all my life. I've taught and performed at the same time," said Lamb. "I also continue to teach pre-college students. I have the rising stars program of chamber music. In just the last week they presented their concert at the Harris Center in Folsom. These are young students that are really passionate about chamber music."
Now Lamb will perform Beethoven and Ravel at a concert Saturday at 8 p.m. in the Safe Credit Union Performing Arts Center.
Though this is a classical concert, featuring timeless pieces, Lamb can rock out to Led Zeppelin and The Eagles.
"There are wonderful symphonic sounds that can be used in any genre of music and of course the rock world knows that as well, you'll often hear strings in the background,” said Lamb. “I am very happy to be a part of that string family."
For more information about concerts Lamb will be performing in, click HERE.
