Yumi Kendall

Yumi Kendall is a distinguished cellist, classical music ambassador, and changemaker, whose voice and vision are paving the way for future generations.

Since 2004, Ms. Kendall has been a dedicated and deeply active member of The Philadelphia Orchestra as assistant principal cello. She won the position at age 22, during her final year of studies at the Curtis Institute of Music. Over the past two decades, as a performer and pedagogue, Ms. Kendall has inspired, informed, and connected countless people as a passionate proponent of classical music. More recently, as a speaker, podcaster, and graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) degree program, she has catalyzed conversations to help people and organizations thrive.

As an orchestral and chamber musician, Ms. Kendall has played on many of the world’s prominent stages, including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Kimmel Center, Suntory Hall, and Musikverein. She has performed with the Marlboro Festival and tour, the East Coast Chamber Orchestra, and the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and has been featured as a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and National Symphony Orchestra, among others. In 2013, she was selected by the Philadelphia Orchestra’s Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin to receive the Orchestra’s C. Hartman Kuhn Award—given to “the member of The Philadelphia Orchestra who has shown ability and enterprise of such character as to enhance the standards and the reputation of The Philadelphia Orchestra.” She holds a Philadelphia Orchestra chair established for her in 2022 by supporters Elaine Woo Camarda and A. Morris Williams Jr.

Since graduating from UPenn with a MAPP degree in 2017, Ms. Kendall has appeared as a guest presenter and facilitator at conferences, retreats, and other events across various professional fields. Captivating as both a cellist and speaker, she is known for her authenticity, ebullience, and approachable style in communicating about classical music. Exemplifying her role as a changemaker, in 2023 Ms. Kendall launched the Tacet No More podcast with her longtime friend, Philadelphia Orchestra colleague Joseph Conyers. Their podcast raises provocative yet optimistic inquiries intended to shake up the status quo and reimagine the next era of classical music. To date, the podcast has featured an array of pioneering guests from across sectors.

Ms. Kendall is a 2004 graduate of Curtis and joined the faculty in 2024.