pandemic bio

In the Spring of 2020, Maria Hadge saw a severe and distinct decrease in work, as did so many artists. A typical day might find her teaching remotely, practicing scales exclusively, and playing Mario Kart terribly. She learned to make sourdough bread, she ran a marathon, she started embroidering, she watched a lot of Nicholas Cage movies, both good and bad. She took to writing weekly newsletters for some friends and enjoyed providing wit and recommendations to their inboxes. Over time, she emerged for performances, discovering her time alone improved her intonation but hurt her ability to play in tempo (she’s working on it!). Nowadays, she’s playing shows, teaching adults, and kicking butt.

SHORT BIO

Maria Hadge is contemporary cellist and champion of new music. In the New York metro area she has performed at the Dimenna Center, CUNY Graduate Center, Italian Academy, and the cell. This past year, she has performed and premiered pieces at Mise-en Place and Scholes Street Studio. She relishes in performing music of her peers and working with composers of our time, and still enjoys performing music from the early 20th century. Also a lover of musicals, she’s recently played in productions of Sound of Music, Bright Star, and Into the Woods.

Long Bio

A versatile cellist and champion of current music, Maria Hadge has been described as a “stunning” and “brilliant” musician, performing with a natural spunk.  A resident of Brooklyn, NY, Maria has performed in venues around the city ranging from recital halls and churches to DIY venues. Her performances have also brought her across the northeast, Canada, Asia, and Europe, to festivals such as the Bang on a Can Summer Festival at Mass MoCA, Montreal Contemporary Music Lab, Atlantic Music Festival, where she was part of the resident Contemporary Ensemble, and to the Klangspuren International Ensemble Modern Academy Festival in Austria.  

She has been active in the new music community for the last decade. As a core member of Ensemble Mise-en and as a solo performer, she has premiered countless works by composers from all over the world, collaborated closely with composers on new pieces, and has performed around the country. She can also be heard on Ingrid Laubrock’s album Contemporary Chaos Practices and Ghost Ensemble’s debut album, We Who Walk Again, released by Indexical Records.

Maria enjoys performing as a member of Luminous Sounds String Ensemble, performing unique arrangements of modern pop music at weddings and special events around the New York Metro area. 

Miss Hadge’s true love is playing in musicals. Recently, she has been heard playing in productions of Bright Star, Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish at Stage 42 and the Museum of Jewish Heritage, Titanic the Musical at Jean’s Playhouse in Lincoln, New Hampshire, Nine with Manhattan School of Music's Musical Theatre Department, Sondheim on Sondheim with Fire Island Performing Arts Project, and a new musical, Brontes, about the literary Bronte sisters as part of Theatre in Asylum. In the past, she's been grateful to play in productions of Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, and a new musical Marry Harry.  

Miss Hadge is a Presser Scholar and recipient of the President's Award for the Purchase College Conservatory of Music.  She earned a BM with a History Minor from Purchase College, where she studied with Julia Lichten, and Miss Hadge recently completed a Masters Degree in Contemporary Performance from Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Fred Sherry.

Away from the instrument, Maria Hadge enjoys running, crossword puzzles, board games, and reading big books about American history. She also teaches cello lessons privately to all levels and ages.