“Incredible Depth of Expression”: In the Moment with Isaac Melamed
August 1, 2025 I Crista Cabe
Early Inspiration
When Isaac Melamed, cellist and co-artistic director of the Garth Newel Piano Quartet, was around 7 or 8, he would attend concerts of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra, in which his older brother played viola. These events were where he first became inspired to take up a string instrument.
“I got it in my head that I wanted to play a bigger instrument than he did,” Isaac explains. “The next biggest string instrument is the cello. I lucked out with that choice!”
That somewhat arbitrary early decision ended up being perfect for Isaac in artistic terms.
“I discovered an incredible depth of expression. I’m not particularly fond of my singing voice, but with the cello, I can sing the way I wish my body could sing. I can create a wide spectrum of colors and types of sounds. I tend to gravitate toward the beautiful longer, slower melodies in the repertoire, but the cello is just as impressive playing fast and virtuosically.”
Playing the cello is a whole-body experience, with the instrument becoming an extension of the self in a very physical way.
“I like the way I can put my whole body into it and feel the sound-waves coursing through me,” he says. “There is an end-pin that goes directly into the ground to help hold the instrument, so the vibrations created by the strings move through it into the floor as well. The sound literally vibrates into the building, and the waves emanate throughout the entire room that you are in.”
Isaac plays a cello that renowned luthier Robert Brewer Young created in 2016 on the model of the Marquis de Corberon Stradivari, 1776.
Isaac with violinist Daniel Hope.
Finding a Musical Home
For Isaac, coming to Garth Newel in 2014 meant a total change in lifestyle and environment from the urban West Coast. He grew up in San Francisco and returned there after completing his graduate work at Manhattan School of Music, joining the New Century Chamber Orchestra (with whom he still performs), which connected him with some of the greatest musicians of our time. Among them is NCCO music director Daniel Hope, an international superstar violinist who will join the Garth Newel Piano Quartet in Hot Springs for concerts on August 22 and 23.
“I had thought I would play in an orchestra because that’s where most of the jobs are, but I always had it in my mind that a career doing chamber music would be ideal,” he says. “Chamber music is the pinnacle for classical musicians. It provides a continuous opportunity for emotional, physical, and spiritual growth, and is a wonderful way to express ourselves individually and together. But there are not a lot of sustainable career opportunities.”
When he learned that there was a cello opening with the Garth Newel Piano Quartet, he knew nothing about Garth Newel. So, he asked around and did some research. What he discovered seemed to be “too good to be true”: that it was an oasis for musicians to play and focus on chamber music. He applied for the position and was one of a handful of cellists who were invited to rehearse and perform a concert at Garth Newel.
“I had a wonderful experience playing chamber music with the Quartet. Things clicked between us, and I also discovered the resident chef, Josh Elliott. Everything seemed amazing. I knew a second opportunity might not come along. One of the deciding factors for me was my wife’s support. We were engaged at the time, and I worried about her uprooting her own successful career as a pianist and violinist. But she was adamant that Garth Newel was an opportunity I shouldn’t pass up, and she moved across the country to Virginia with me. I am so grateful for that.”
At Garth Newel, not only is Isaac able to focus on the music he most enjoys playing, but he’s also joined an exceptional community.
The Quartet on tour
Life Inside the Quartet
“I can’t say enough wonderful things about my colleagues. In the Quartet, we all like each other and get along, which is not always the case with music ensembles. We all offer different perspectives and opinions—sometimes extremely different—but we coalesce and meet in the middle. We laugh and joke and play around. And I really appreciate the rest of the staff. They are wonderful people, so good at what they do, and dedicated to Garth Newel. They make coming to work an enjoyable experience.”
Quartet violist Fitz Gary appreciates Isaac as a musician, admires him as someone who makes good things happen, and values him as a friend.
“I learn a lot from him,” Fitz notes. “He has so much to offer musically. His ears are fantastic—I wish I had those ears! He hears music on a micro level, which helps me be a better musician. Plus, he’s such a positive person. He makes people feel comfortable. He’s always thinking about what solutions are best for everyone involved and quietly gets things done. He has a gift for making everyone happy.”
One of Isaac’s roles at Garth Newel is taking the lead with the annual four-week Emerging Artist Program. All the Quartet members are involved, but it’s Isaac who organizes it all from the application process through the complex logistics and scheduling to making sure individual needs are met and everyone feels welcome and connected.
“He’s exceptionally good at organization,” notes Fitz. “He’s structured in the best way and is adept at juggling lots of different things.”
Fitz confides that, in addition to being warm and personable, Isaac has a charmingly goofy side and can be quite funny. While car-pooling together to Garth Newel, the two of them have wonderful conversations and often throw in quips from the TV show Seinfeld, calling out the ridiculousness in life without making fun of anyone.
Music, Family, and Life Beyond the Stage
As central as being a musician is to Isaac’s identity, there are other sides to him, and family is right at the top. His wife, Ting-Ting Yen, is a professional pianist and violist, and theirs is a very hands-on family these days, with 4- and 6-year-old children who demand a lot of their attention. “I’m doing all I can to raise my kids, to find the right opportunities for them, and to make them safe and supported and a part of this world. It can feel a bit overwhelming at times, but that is the task we are given as parents. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Ting-Ting and Isaac at a San Francisco Giants game
Isaac has also been into sports throughout his life, both playing and watching. He’s always loved to play baseball, and at one point in high school had to choose between that and the cello, as each demanded a lot of time and practice. The cello won out (for which his Garth Newel fans can be eternally grateful), but the interest never died. Isaac spent several summers during high school and college as a vendor at what is now called Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants baseball franchise. He remembers that it always involved something of a trade-off: he was tempted to watch the games, but as he was paid on commission, he made more money when he focused on selling.
Legendary outfielder Barry Bonds was playing for the Giants then. “I learned pretty quickly that you cannot sell when Bonds was batting,” he recalls. “People are just going to get mad at you if you’re yelling ‘Peanuts!!’ when he’s up to bat.”
As a native of San Francisco, he’s also a big fan of the 49ers. It’s something he shares with several of his colleagues—violinist Teresa Ling, Executive Chef Josh Elliott, and Sous Chef Juston “Hot Rod” Hiner—and they enjoy shooting the breeze about the team. It’s still hard for him to believe that so many 49ers fans could be congregated in the middle of the Allegheny Mountains.
Recently, Isaac has been re-reading The Lord of the Rings trilogy. “They may be my favorite books—exciting to immerse yourself in and beautifully written. The language is incredible. Much more than when I first read the books as a teenager, I appreciate the pacing. It’s not just about getting to the next exciting thing … there is so much time spent appreciating each moment, describing the surrounding world and developing the complex personalities and interactions between characters.”
“I find this important given the world we live in, where life can be so fast-paced and everyone is on their phones all the time. There is so little time left between the cracks to just be in the present. It takes some effort to just be in the moment and appreciate it.”
A Moment of Music
Being in the moment and appreciating it … that’s a gift that Garth Newel concerts convey upon us, also. The musicians have worked hard to perfect their interpretation and performance of superb works, and everyone present can put away the hubbub of daily life to be absorbed in a beautiful, extended moment together. In that sense, Garth Newel is an oasis not only for the performers but for everyone who experiences its magic.