Amanda Gookin

Praised for her “expert technical work” (The Strad), cellist Amanda Gookin champions the future of music through bold performances, the creation of new works, and a deep commitment to education, cultural equity, and community engagement.

Her initiative, Forward Music Project, “a premier example of feminist advocacy done right” (I Care If You Listen), commissions new multimedia works for solo cello that elevate stories of feminine empowerment through raw performances and educational initiatives. Since its inception in 2015, FMP has commissioned 18 new works by notable composers, including Pamela Z, Paola Prestini, Jessie Montgomery, Angélica Negrón, Jessica Meyer, Allison Loggins-Hull, Kamala Sankaram, and Nathalie Joachim.

She has been presented by The Kennedy Center (Washington, DC), The Wallis (Los Angeles), National Sawdust (New York City), OK Electric (Tulsa, OK), Forbes Center (Harrisonburg, VA), Park Avenue Armory (New York City), and deDoelen (Rotterdam, NL).

Her first solo album, Forward Music Project 1.0, was listed in The 25 Best Classical Music Tracks of 2020 by the New York Times.

Her 2021 sophomore solo album, FMP 2.0: in this skin, was praised as “cello playing at its height; delivering art” by the WholeNote.