To close out the year, we're revisiting our interview with MacArthur Genius Grant Fellow and American classical cellist Alisa Weilerstein. The internationally celebrated artist discusses her first instruments (made by her grandmother!), her solo debut at age thirteen with the Cleveland Orchestra, and why she chose not to go directly to conservatory after high school. Alisa reminisces about performing at the White House and chuckles about receiving an apology from President Obama, as well as discusses her groundbreaking new solo concert series Fragments.

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Photograph of Alisa by Evelyn Freja.

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This interview has been edited and condensed to fit the time format.

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