Teacher Profile: Max Vance

About Max Vance

Max Vance is an award-winning classically trained cellist and composer. With different bands and ensembles, he has played at venues all over the world and Seattle; such as The Triple Door, UW, MoPop, The Crocodile Café, Folklife Festival, Cascades Camp and Conference Center, King5 TV, Navafría, Spain, and LePave d’Orsay in Paris, France. In Spring of 2022, Max collaborated with composer in residence at Benaroya Hall, Angelique Poteat, and had an original piece premiered there by members of the Seattle Symphony. Since then, his music has won competitions and been recognized by local conductors.

He studies cello with Mara Finkelstein and composition with Dr. Sarah Bassingthwaighte at Seattle Pacific University, where he has premiered many original works for different ensembles including choir, symphony orchestra, and other random assortments of instruments. Though he enjoys playing in numerous ensembles himself, Max’s favorite is the duet he shares with his wife and fellow cellist, Cellobration!. Max hopes to one day become a film composer and continue sharing the love of God through his passion for music.