Angelique Montes began her cello studies at the age of 5 at The Suzuki School for Strings in Manhattan, NY. She continued playing throughout her moves to Iowa City, IA; Richmond, VA; and lastly New Orleans, LA; where she attended Benjamin Franklin High School and the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) from 2009 to 2013. At NOCCA, she studied with Dr. Jee-Yeoun Ko and participated in master classes with renowned artists such as: Midori, Carlos Miguel Prieto, Dennis Parker, Jan Vogler, Prazak String Quartet, Delfeayo Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Ellis Marsalis, and Yo-Yo Ma. 

Montes’ debut solo performance was in 2010 after winning the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra Concerto Competition, playing the first movement of Khachaturian’s Cello Concerto in E minor. She later received her Bachelor’s in Cello Performance at the Oberlin Conservatory, where she studied with Amir Eldan. During her time at Oberlin she soloed with the Oberlin Arts and Science Orchestra, and received honors awards as a member of the Adelphe Piano Trio. 

During her summers, Angelique has attended Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute (2011), Interlochen Summer Arts (2012), National Youth Orchestra of the USA (2013), National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute (2014), Colorado College Summer Music Festival (2015), Credo Music Festival (2016) and Innsbrook Institute (2018).

Montes has recently received her Master’s at the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music, under the guidance of Matthew Zalkind. She will be attending the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in the fall of 2019 to begin her Doctoral studies with Alan Rafferty. 

Angelique also enjoys baking, playing ping-pong, watching ASMR videos, and drinking tea.