Suzuki Cello, Associate Chair of String Department
Education
Maxfield holds performance degrees from Indiana University (BM) where he studied cello with Sharon Robinson and the University of Wisconsin (MM) with Uri Vardi.
Other important teachers of his have included Peter Howard (former principal cellist of the St Paul Chamber Orchestra), Jorja Fleezanis (former concertmaster of the Minnesota Orchestra), Atar Arad (former Cleveland Quartet), Sally Gross (choreographer), and Tanya Carey (Suzuki Training).
Performance and Teaching Experience
An avid chamber musician, Maxfield pursues performance, creation, recording, and education in classical, contemporary, world, popular, and interdisciplinary artistic projects. Maxfield has worked with renowned artists, music festivals, and events around the globe to expand the role of cello and art in daily culture, challenging his students, audiences, and colleagues to find new ways to connect in the modern world.
Teaching is a core focus for Maxfield who is Suzuki certified and has taught students and chamber groups of all ages who have gone on both to study at major music schools and play in local rock bands.
Maxfield is also a director of the Tanguero Workshop in Indiana which trains tango musicians from around the world for one week every summer and in the rest of the year he is a frequent host of tango music and dance events and festivals. In his near decade as a tango musician he has performed with such icons as Julian Peralta, Pablo Aslan, Hector del Curto, Victor Lavallen, and Pablo Ziegler.
At Levine
Maxfield joined Levine in 2017 teaching cello traditional and Suzuki. He has also taken on the role of Levine’s Library Assistant.
“As a center for so many students, teachers, and players across the DC area, Levine provides the opportunity and resources for musicians to come together, deepen their own musical experience, and strengthen the community through music.”
Teaching Philosophy
“Each of my teachers left me with different but important approaches to teaching. Whether it is work with different body-awareness modalities, resources from decades of teaching younger children, or an understanding of the details and mindset for crafting a finished performance onstage in front of thousands of people, I am honored to be able to pass down ideas and traditions from generations of cellists and am always exploring new ways to teach, play, and communicate with each individual student.”
Personal
In DC, whenever he is not teaching, dancing, sight reading Dvorak quartets, or walking his Shiba Inu, Maxfield can be heard playing with his group Da Capo Tango and various folk bands.