Lily Stern is a cellist from Santa Monica, California, currently residing in Boston, Massachusetts. She is pursuing her studies of both music and psychology in the dual degree program through Tufts University and New England Conservatory, studying under the tutelage of Yeesun Kim. Passionate about orchestral and chamber performance, Lily relishes the collaborative aspects of ensemble playing. Her most recent orchestral engagements have been with the New England Conservatory Philharmonia and Boston University Tanglewood Institute Young Artists Orchestra, where she led the section as associate principal. Additionally, Lily was a member of the Piatigorsky International Cello Festival Mass Cello Ensemble in 2016, performing alongside renowned artists including Mischa Maisky, Sol Gabetta, Ron Leonard, and Ralph Kirshbaum, among others. Lily has given solo and chamber recitals at summer festivals in the US and internationally, including Fontainebleau École d’Art Américaines, Old Ox Stockholm Masterclasses, Borromeo Music Festival, Orford Musique, Boston University Tanglewood Institute, Music Academy of the West MERIT Program, and Oslo Kammermusikkfestival, where she collaborated and performed alongside the Danish String Quartet. Prior to her studies at NEC, Lily was a student of Ben Hong, Associate Principal Cellist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Lily’s love for music as a performer and listener, and her interest in cognitive science and psychology have led her to study the intersection of these disciplines. During the summer of 2022, she worked as a research assistant in Dr. Assal Habibi’s Brain and Music Lab, part of the Brain and Creativity Institute at the University of Southern California. Lily is passionate about interdisciplinary collaborations and is thrilled to be a Magari Ensemble performer.