Nathaniel Pierce, 18, is a senior at Saline High school. He grew up in a musical family with both of his parents being opera singers and his sister playing the violin.

Nathaniel started his cello studies twelve years ago with Guenther Grossman in Cottbus, Germany, and has since taken lessons with Anna Zinke, Marianne Jakobovitz, Ulrike Schaeffer, Erling Bloendal Bengtsson, Nick Finch, and Yeongin Kim. His main teacher for the past two years, however, has been Richard Aaron.

During his summers, he has gone to places like the Indiana String Academy, the Innsbruck Institute, and the Aspen Music Festival. He has been a featured artist with the Toledo, Ann Arbor and Birmingham Bloomfield symphonies.

Besides the cello, Nathaniel also enjoys taking voice lessons from his parents. Furthermore he enjoys catching an incredible concert when he can and playing ping pong. Next year, Nathaniel will go to the University of Michigan for his Bachelors degree in Cello performance under the instruction of Richard Aaron.